Not so alone, after all
by PassionIsKey
Summary: Isabella Swan. Rich, beautiful, intelligent. Isabella Swan. Lonely, insecure, unloved. Isabella just started her senior year. She has no friends, her parents aren't around and she's just plain lonely. In comes Rosalie Hale. Gorgeous, intelligent, kind. And also Isabella's Math teacher. Can Rosalie be the the friend Isabella's been longing for? And more?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

Bella's POV

_My first day of senior year. One more year until I'm freed from this town, my parents, and everything else I pray that I can leave behind. And until then I'll just grin and bear it and get through. _

This is what I told myself as I got ready for school this morning. As I sorted through my closet, I decided on something simple. A pair of dark blue distressed skinny jeans, a short sleeved pink, white, and blue three-quarter floral shirt that displayed my tan, toned stomach and back dimples, and a pair of white vans. I let my wild, curly dark auburn hair down, where it reached mid-back, and applied light eye-liner and mascara to my bright green eyes.

I sighed. I, personally, am never satisfied with what I see in the mirror. My lips are too full. My brow too defined. My thighs too fat. My hips too wide. _Not good enough._ Her voice rings in my head. I shake my head quickly as if to physically eject her words.

Once I'm done criticizing my appearance, I decide this is as good as I'm going to get.

I turn away from the mirror, grab my white iPhone 5 off of the charger and my keys off of my dresser and slowly walk downstairs. As I reach the bottom of the stairs I spot my father passed out on the couch, presumably from his heavy drinking the night before and my step-mother nowhere to be found.

I scoff. No surprise there.

I make my way into the kitchen for a quick breakfast, but as I search through the refrigerator and cabinets it turns out _mommy dearest_ forgot to go shopping.

"Great" I mutter. I grudgingly grab an apple and a bottle of water, deciding that this will have to be my breakfast. I quickly check the time and decide that now would be a good time to leave for school, considering the fact that its 7:30 and school begins at 8:00, giving me 30 minutes to drive there and visit the main office for my schedule.

I make my way out to my car, a silver and black Audi R8 that I received for my 18th birthday a week ago, and hop inside. The car was a gift from my parents. Never being around, being pretty shitty parents, and being pretty well-off were all strong contributing factors.

I grab my tan cargo jacket from the passenger seat, quickly slip it on and head off to school. On my way there I can't help but wonder what this year will be like.

_Hopefully not as lonely as last year, _I think sadly. I moved here at the start of last school year with my father and his new wife, Courtney. My father's company, a huge electronics manufacturing company, relocated. Due to the fact that Renee, my mother, divorced dad 4 years ago due to his drinking problem and moved to Florida, I automatically relocated too by default. Being as well off as we are, we had a house built on land that my dad bought, our cars shipped in, and a gate installed around our property. Throughout the weeks when this was going on it was a pretty big gossip topic around Forks, considering how small the town is. A big business man, his gorgeous blonde wife, and his teenage daughter. _How_ _interesting_, I think sarcastically. When I began to attend Forks High School that's when I began to notice how hard it would be to make friends. Everyone was either intimidated, jealous, hated me or just wanted to get in my pants. Sounds fun, right? Long story short it was a long, lonely year.

As I pulled into the student parking lot, I noticed everyone hanging around outside, like they usually do before the bell rang. I got out of my car and began to walk towards the school. As I make my way to the office I pass a group of jocks, among them is Jasper Hale. He slyly winks at me while smirking that creepy smirk that I've grown to hate. He has been trying to get with me since I moved here and refuses to take 'no' for an answer. _Asshole_, I think as I roll my eyes and continue towards my destination. His friends laugh and yell 'Ohhhh' obnoxiously loud.

I enter the office expecting to see Mrs. Cope sitting at her desk, but instead it's completely empty.

"Fucking A" I mutter as I plop myself into a chair in the waiting area, prepared to wait.

Twenty-fucking-minutes, the first period bell, and an angry Bella later, I'm _still _waiting. While looking around the office as if the solution will suddenly appear on the walls, my eyes land on the door to the principal's office.

_Eh, what the hell?_ I think as I make my way towards there door.

Our principal, Dr. Tillman, is an old, wrinkly, round man. He wears glasses, too- small suits, and these nasty red suspenders. He's known for his booming voice and intimidating nature, so naturally I'm hesitant to knock on his office door.

I knock timidly, expecting to hear his booming voice telling me to enter, but to my surprise that's not what I get, _at_ _all. _

A light yet stern feminine voice yells, "Come in."

I open the door and I'm greeted by an average height, gorgeous woman with caramel hair, electric blue eyes and a warm smile. She's wearing a stylish navy business woman suit with black 5 inch stilettos, which I immediately recognize_. Hmm_, I think, _Chanel, classy_. My eyes scan her desk and land on a name plate with the name Esme Cullen engraved into it_. Is she substituting for Dr. Tillman? _I wonder.

"Hi sweetheart, may I help you?" says Mrs. Cullen, smiling warmly at me.

"Umm, hi. I'm Isabella Swan, there's no one in the front office and I need my schedule so..." I wander off.

"Oh! I'm so sorry sweetheart. Mrs. Cope is taking a sick day today." She says while making her way towards her desk, presumably to print out my schedule. "Your name again sweetheart?" she says while halting her typing and looking up to make eye contact with me while smiling warmly.

"Isabella." I say. "Swan." I add quickly after she continued to stare at me expectantly with an amused smile on her face.

"Nice to meet you, Isabella. I'm Esme Cullen, your new principal." She says while standing and moving to the printer while it begins to print. She hands me my schedule and I reach out and take it and scan over it. AP Statistics, AP Psychology, Physical Education, AP Literature, and two student aiding periods, in that order. Not bad.

"Thank you." I say to Mrs. Cullen, while making my way towards the door.

"You're welcome, Isabella." She says and quickly adds, "Come back and inform me who you'll be student aiding for by the end of tomorrow, dear."

"Okay." I reply with a small smile as I shut her office door and head to first period.

As I arrive to my first period AP Statistics class I can feel the dread slowly rising. One, I'm absolutely horrible at Math. Two, I hate walking into a full classroom late, it's painfully awkward. Everyone turns to see whose entering and then I just feel like they're judging all hell out of me. My outfit, my hair, my face, my walk, and maybe even my ass.

I take a deep breath and enter the classroom. The first thing I notice is that this isn't the AP Stat. teacher that I thought I'd have. I thought I'd have Mr. Willis, the AP Stat. teacher from last year. But no. This woman definitely wasn't Mr. Willis.

The woman at the front of the classroom was extremely gorgeous, almost painfully so. She was tan, and tall, around 5'11 with the black 3 inch _Dolce & Gabbana_ heels she was sporting. Long shiny dirty blonde hair hung to her mid-back. She was wearing dark skinny jeans, a black blazer and a white shirt underneath. _How the hell can an outfit so simple look so amazing on her?_ I thought incredulously. She had electric blue eyes, perfectly sculpted eyebrows, full lips, long, thick lashes, and a beauty mark above her top lip. This woman was stunning. Literally.

"You're late." She stated bluntly without looking at me. "Wait outside."

Seriously? I thought, extremely annoyed considering how my morning was going. I rolled my eyes, huffed loudly, and turned on my heel dramatically before walking out of the classroom and letting the door swing shut behind me.

A few moments later the door opened and out stepped the teacher. She gently closed the door behind her and turned towards me, raising an eyebrow and smirking at my annoyed expression.

"Hello. I'm Ms. Hale." She said still smirking at my expression. I took a deep breath and smiled shyly at her. For some reason she was making me extremely nervous. She was intimidating, I'd give her that.

"Hi. I'm, um, Isabella. Swan." I said shyly.

"Hello, Isabella. Is there a reason you're late to my class?" she asks.

"I was in the office getting my schedule." I answer quickly.

"Hmm." Is all she says before turning and entering the class, beckoning for me to follow. I take the first seat I see, which happens to be in the front, directly in front of her desk. _Great_, I think sarcastically, _I guess I can_ _always move next class._

"Now" she states while walking around her desk and having a seat "where you're sitting will be your assigned seat for the rest of the school year, so I suggest you get used to it." She says with a smirk.

_Fuuuuuuuck. _I whine to myself.

I make it through all my classes fine after Ms. Hale's class and finally its lunch time. I buy my lunch, which consist of a water and a Caesar salad, and locate an empty table in the corner of the lunchroom.

I feel awkward sitting here all alone surrounded by laughing,_ happy_ teenagers, with_ friends_ and, _loving_ parents, and an _actual life._ I'm halfway through my lunch when these thoughts enter my head and suddenly, I'm not so hungry anymore.

I quickly stand and throw away my lunch making my way to the cafeteria doors, tears already filling my eyes.

I find myself in a back stairwell near the gym. My face is wet with tears and at this point I really just want to go home.

_Home._ I chuckle at the word because that's really not what that place is. Homes are supposed to feel warm, and inviting, and contain people who love you. Unconditionally.

A house is a place to live. Nothing more. The only people in my house are my drunken father and my absent step-mother, neither of which love me. They barely tolerate me. I'm alone. Is someone who cares for me, genuinely, really too much to ask for?

My inner musings are interrupted when I hear heels clicking down the hall, gradually getting louder. I briefly wonder why before I realize they're coming this way, towards me. I quickly get up and wipe my face of any tears the escaped.

Ms. Hale rounds the corner with a folder full of papers in her arms, which she's looking down at with her brow furrowed. She briefly glances up and, upon seeing me, does a double take. She smiles at me but upon closer inspection, a concerned look takes over her face.

"Are you alright, Isabella?" she asks.

"Um, yeah, I-I'm fine." I say while forcing a smile onto my face, though it comes out as more of a grimace.

"You're crying." She points out rather bluntly. "Why?"

"Nothing" I say. "Nothing important." I add quickly when she raises an eyebrow at me as if she knows I'm lying.

"Why aren't you in lunch?" she asks while staring intensely at me.

"I didn't want to sit alone." Which isn't the whole truth but its close enough.

"Where are your friends?" she asks confusedly while looking around as if they'll jump out and yell 'surprise' at any moment_. I wish_, I think grudgingly.

"Non-existent." I mumble uncomfortably while looking everywhere but her.

She seems to sense my discomfort and begins to walk in the direction she was originally headed while beckoning me with her hand, a sign that I should follow her. I follow her silently through the halls, a few steps behind her. Eventually we end up outside of her classroom. I follow her inside once she unlocks the door and stand there awkwardly while she sits at her desk and starts to get situated.

"You can have a seat, Isabella." She says amusedly. I quickly sit in my usual seat, embarrassed that I'm acting so awkward. I can't help it, she flusters me. "Relax."

"Just Bella, please." I say while smiling softly, trying my best to relax.

"Okay,_ Bella._" She says, putting and emphasis on my name. She stops shuffling papers and looks up at me. "If you want you can spend your lunch periods in here. I don't mind, I could use the company. I have no classes sixth or seventh period."

"Me neither, I have two aiding periods sixth and seventh period." I say.

"Really? Who are you aiding for?" She asks curiously.

"No one as of now." I answer casually. "I haven't really thought about it much to be honest." I answer honestly.

"Would you like to be my student aid? I know I'm not the most exciting teacher but I've been told I'm not half bad." she states playfully, while leaning back in her chair and gazing curiously at me.

"Yeah, sure." I answer with a genuine smile on my face, a rarity for me.

"Great." She says with at a small smile. "I hope I can get to know you a little bit more Bella. You seem like a very nice young lady. Aside from the attitude this morning." She says teasingly.

I gasp dramatically and place my hand over my chest as If I have _no idea _what she's talking about. She laughs as she walks around to her file cabinet next to the door and starts to sort through.

Just then my phone goes off and the name _Courtney _appears on the screen. My smile and playfulness instantly fade away as I open the text message.

_I won't be home tonight, Isabella_. _Look after Charlie for me will ya? Xo_

_Seriously? Great. Just fucking great. I shouldn't have to look after him, he's a grown man. _I sigh loudly as I place my phone on the desk and lean my forehead on my hands with my elbows on the desk. Because the more Courtney's gone the more Charlie drinks. The drunker he is the louder he yells. The more hurtful the words.

"Is everything okay?" Ms. Hale asks from her place at the filing cabinet, obviously having heard my rather loud sigh.

"Yeah." I lie unconvincingly. "Everything's fine."

Review.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Twilight characters.

Thanks for your reviews. They inspired me to update so soon. Here you go.

I spent the rest of the school day in Ms. Hale's classroom laughing and doing small things for her like stapling papers and grading tests. It was nice. Unlike all the other things in my life that seemed to be so hard lately, it was easy. Being around her was easy.

As the sound of the final bell of the day rang, I sighed and turned towards Ms. Hale who was focused on her computer. Her brow was furrowed and she was biting her lip in concentration while staring at her computer. It was almost… cute. I quickly looked away once I realized what and about whom I was thinking and began to gather my things.

"Are you leaving?" Ms. Hale said as she looked up at me from her computer.

"Yeah." I sighed. "I should probably get going."

"Alright, honey. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?" she says turning the last statement into a question while turning back to her work on her computer.

"You bet." I say with a smile as I exited her classroom.

_You bet?! Really?! What even?! _I think incredulously. I chuckle at my thoughts as I make my way through the building towards the front entrance.

As I exit the building and make my way towards my car, I spot Jasper and his '_oh so lovely'_ jock friends lingering near it. I try and keep my head down and make it to my car without provoking the idiots, but apparently luck isn't on my side today.

"Hey, baby." Jasper exclaims while throwing his arm around my shoulder and giving me a sloppy kiss on the cheek. I can hear his buddies laughing madly in the background.

"Ugh!" I exclaim as I shove his arm off of my shoulder and wipe his disgusting saliva off of my face with my sleeve. I attempt to walk around him to reach my car, but he quickly steps into my path and continues to do so on my next three attempts. I sigh loudly and cross my arms and cock my hip, all the while looking at him expectantly.

"_What_ could you _possibly_ want, Jasper?" I exclaim heatedly.

"You." He says cockily with that revolting smile on his face. His friends are still gathered around him snickering and chuckling.

I grind my teeth and take a deep breath through my nose as I attempt to walk around him again, he intercepts my path again though. Everything about his stance and facial expression just screams cocky.

"What are you too good for me, babe?" he says while getting in my face. I roughly shove him back and he stumbles a few steps back, which causes his friends to 'Ohhhh' and laugh louder. "God, you're sexy." He says while eyeing me up and down appreciatively. "I bet you're a freak in bed aren't you? What do you only sleep with rich boys?" He says condescendingly. "Got no words now_, slut_?" he continues when I don't answer.

"Get the_ fuck_ out of my face, Jasper." I say through gritted teeth. I shove him out my way, causing him to put his hands up in surrender and laugh loudly with his friends, who are now howling with laughter, and make my way to my car. I start my car and peel out the parking lot with tears in my eyes.

I angrily wipe a stray tear that has escaped off of my and scoff loudly.

"Really Bella?" I mutter to myself. "You're going to let Jasper Hale of all people get to you? Fuck him." I weave my way through the streets of Forks while breathing deeply and trying to calm down.

I sigh heavily as the gates that surround my house come into view. I pull down my visor and press the button that automatically opens the gates. I maneuver my car up the drive way and into the garage. I look to my left and spot my father's car in the garage, telling me that he is in fact home.

_Here we go_, I think as I exit my car and enter the house. As I walk through the house towards the stairs, to my surprise, I'm greeted by complete silence. I decide not to investigate and begin to ascend the stairs at a normal pace, my footsteps echoing loudly in the large, silent house. I navigate my way towards my room and enter, throwing my keys and phone onto my dresser with a loud sigh. I kick of my shoes and crawl onto my large California-king bed, curling up into a ball in the center.

The silence is so loud. Almost deafening.

I awake suddenly to the sound of glass shattering. I quickly realize I must have fallen asleep when I got home from school. I look around my now dark room and spot my phone flashing, which I hastily jump up to retrieve. I briefly notice that its 10:00 pm before my attention is called to what's on the screen.

_1 missed call. Renee._

_1 new voicemail._

I stare at the screen in shock. I haven't heard from my mother in over a year. We weren't really close before the divorce and the weak relationship we did have was shattered when she left us. Abandoned me. I didn't speak to her for two years before she'd had enough of my 'games' and came to visit for my 16th birthday. Surprise visit from your estranged mother whom you resented greatly for your 16th birthday? What could go wrong? It ended in tears of course. She contacted me twice by phone after that, short 5 minute phone calls about nothing important. And now she's calling me. Why?

Before I can think about this any longer, I hear a thud from downstairs followed by more crashing.

_What the hell?_ I think as I make my way out of my room and towards the staircase. As I descend the stairs, my steps become increasingly urgent as the crashing and banging continues.

I follow the noises into the family room and find my father, bottle of whiskey in hand, completely _demolishing_ the décor. There are pictures frames, vases, liquor bottles, and broken paintings scattered all around the floor, along with water from I assume is a broken flower vase.

Another vase goes flying into the wall.

"Dad!" I exclaim as I maneuver my way around the debris as fast as I can towards him. His head whips around to look at me and I take in his appearance. Blood shot, unfocused eyes and unbalanced stance.

_He's drunk_.

"Bella!" he exclaims loudly. I flinch away from him at the sudden exclamation from him.

"Where've you been, baby? Daddy's been lookin' for ya." He say while taking in my appearance as if seeing me for the first time in years, despite the fact that he sees me every day.

"You know… I haven't seen you lately. You haven't been there for your old man. You grow up and you think you don't have to see your old man anymore? Huh? … Just like your mother." he chuckles darkly while taking another swig from his drink. "You know when your mother left, I was so hurt. That bitch. She said I had a problem." He scoffs loudly and walks towards the fireplace, which is on and burning brightly. He leans against it for a few moments before he suddenly turns and sets his gaze upon me, burning into me as he stares intensely. "She left when times got a tad bit hard. _Weak_." He spits out.

" Is that what you're trying to do Bella? Hmm? Leave me?" He says all the while walking towards me. I remain standing in my spot awkwardly, barefoot and surrounded by glass, afraid that if I step away I'll step directly into it.

He's suddenly in from of me, grabbing my upper arms tightly and breathing his whiskey breath into my face. I gasp in surprise and remain completely frozen in shock because no matter how drunk Charlie is he never touches me. Ever.

"Never leave me." His tone going from conversational to menacing in a split second. His grip tightens on my arms threateningly and I wince from the pressure. "You love me right? Promise me you won't leave me." He says almost desperately.

I wrench myself from his grasp, causing me to fall directly into the glass and debris on the floor. I cry out in pain as I feel the shards pierce my skin. The sharp pains cause tears to come to my eyes as I lay there.

He looks down on me and for split second I can't recognize him. This man standing over me looks so foreign and alien in my eyes for that split second. Unrecognizable. The realization is scary. It injects fear directly into my rapidly racing heart.

My dad chuckles while taking a swig of whiskey as he walks out of the room. As I'm cautiously lifting myself out of the mess, I hear his footsteps ascending the stairs, followed by the sound of his bedroom door closing. I sigh in relief.

I slowly lift myself out of the glass and make my way up the stairs, wincing in pain at every step. I enter my room and immediately make my way to my adjoining bathroom. I look into the mirror to assess the damage and hiss at what I see.

My upper arms where he grabbed me are a bright red, which I can tell are going to bruise. My forearms, where I caught myself in the fall, are covered in small red cuts and I have a small gash under my left eye.

I sit on the edge of my bathtub, place my head into my hands and just cry.

What else can I do? Everything in my life is just so messed up and _wrong. _I don't even know where to _begin_ to fix this mess. I feel like I can't do it anymore. I just feel alone, and broken, and just all around _sad_. The problems that I'm facing are out of my hands. What do you do when you feel like you've finally hit rock bottom?

I sigh as I get up and turn on the shower. I step under the steaming hot water, not even bothering to adjust the temperature. And I cry some more.

"God dammit." I yell as I slap both hands on the shower wall and lean my head up against it. I shower until the water becomes cold and shocks me out of my thoughts.

Eventually I exit the shower and dry off. I avoid looking into the mirror as I pass it. I get dressed into some comfortable pajamas and crawl into my bed.

_He's never been this bad before_, I think to myself. And I'm right. Charlie has never physically harmed me while in one of his drunken stupors. Yelled? Yeah. Thrown things? Sure. Hurt me? Never.

And even though tonight it wasn't deliberate physical harm it was close enough. I decide then and there that I'm done taking care of his drunken ass. I'm not going to put myself in that position. From now on he is Courtney's responsibility. Not mine. No matter how much I love my dad I just can't do it anymore.

I wake up the next morning slightly disoriented, until I realize that I am in fact in my room. I look at the clock and it reads 6:30, giving me about an hour to get ready.

I get out of bed and make my way to my closet and begin sorting through. I decide that trying to look good today isn't in my best interest. I pick an oversized tan knit sweater, that comes down to mid-thigh and covers my hands with its too long sleeves, light wash skinny jeans, and light brown UGG boots.

I don't even bother to look into the mirror as I make my way into the bathroom.

I brush my teeth slowly and distractedly. The same goes for washing my face. I look up into the mirror at my reflection once I'm done and sigh. I look exhausted. Semi-dark bags reside under my eyes and my eyelids look droopy with sleep, considering the fact that I didn't get much sleep last night. I tossed and turned and drifted in and out of a restless sleep all night.

I gather my hair supplies and brush my long, auburn hair up into a tight high ponytail with a few strands hanging down the sides of my face delicately. I maneuver the hair in the ponytail into a perfect donut bun that sits perfectly on the crown of my head.

I walk into my room to look at the time, it reads 7:25. I decide that I won't have time to do my make-up or cover up the small gash under my left-eye.

_It won't matter_, I think to myself as I quickly throw on mascara. _Who's going to care enough_ _to ask?_ _Exactly. _

I look at freckles spread across the bridge of my nose and my cheekbones and sigh. I usually cover them up with make-up but I have no time today.

_Great_, I think sarcastically.

I grab my phone, purse and car keys and quickly make my way down the stairs and towards the kitchen. When I enter I'm surprised to see Courtney out of the corner of my eye sitting on a bar stool at the island in the middle of the kitchen sipping coffee.

I ignore her and make my way to the refrigerator. I open it to find it completely restocked and I cock my eyebrow as I grab some grapes and a cup of yogurt.

"You went shopping?" I ask her while I move towards the drawer that contains the silverware for a spoon.

"Yeah," she replies casually while sipping her coffee. "I picked up a few things you like. We were running really low on food."

I turn around to face her, spoon in hand, and pause briefly at the bruise on her face. She also raises a blonde eyebrow at the small gash on my face. She opens her mouth like she's about to say something but just as quickly as it opens it shuts. I felt a small flicker of hope when she opened her mouth, thinking made she'd show so concern or remorse for her husband's actions, but it quickly burned out when she shut it.

_I just want some to care._

I arrive at school exactly five minutes before the first bell and rush to my first period in fear of being late again. I finally slow down when Ms. Hale's classroom comes into view and as I glance at my phone I realize I still have 3 minutes to spare. I enter the classroom and spot Ms. Hale sitting at her desk with a male student standing next to her speaking in a low tone. She nods and seems to be listening intently. I feel a brief flicker of jealousy. _Where'd that come from?_ I think.

As I take my seat, I feel my phone begin to vibrate and I quickly take it out to check it.

_1 new text message. Unknown number._

I frown confusedly as I open the text message.

_Looking good Swan._

Attached to the text is a picture of the back of my head. As I study the picture I realize the picture was taken from a few seats back in this class presumably when I sat down. I spin around in my seat quickly and spot Jasper, already looking at me with a smirk on his face, a few seats back. When he sees that I'm looking at him he waves slyly.

_How the hell did he get my number? _I think angrily. Due to the lack of effort the students put into socializing with me no one has bothered to ask for it. Yet James has it. How?

"Get my message, babe?" he calls out to me, which causes the whole class to look at me. I quickly turn around sink down into my seat, my face beet red.

Before anyone can say anything, Ms. Hale clears her throat and walks to the front center of the classroom, immediately gaining the attention of everyone in the room. Especially the males. The guy next to me, Kyle I think his name was, looked like he was going to combust any second. His eyes were permanently glued he her generous perky breasts and I briefly wondered if he'd pass this class.

"Get started on the work that I've put onto the board for you, please." She says while pointing at the assignment with her marker. "You can talk quietly amongst yourselves." She says and immediately conversations erupt around the classroom.

I took out the textbook that was beneath my desk and turned to the correct page. I skimmed over the problems she wanted us to do and sighed to myself, knowing that this was going to be a challenge for me. I worked through the first two with only a bit of difficulty but got completely stumped on the third.

I looked up towards Ms. Hale's desk to ask for help, only to find her already looking at me. I noticed a pink blush rise to her cheeks when she caught my eye and I raised my eyebrow in confusion.

_Why was she looking at me? Did_ _she think I was cheating?_ I thought in confusion.

Before I have time to overthink it more than I already am, her gaze falls to the small gash under my left eye and her brow wrinkles in what I assume is concern. I bring my left hand up and lean my face into it, effectively removing it from her sight, in what I think is a pretty sly manner. She raises an eyebrow at my attempt to cover it and beckons me to her desk. I gather my pen and paper and walk to her desk, while I'm up there I might as well get help.

When I reach her desk signals me to walk around to stand beside her, which I quickly move to do. I round the desk and see that there is a small stool next to her chair, hidden from view by the large desk.

"Have a seat, please." She says while turning her chair towards me. I walk towards her and have a seat on the small stool. I sit there awkwardly not really knowing what to expect.

"Do you need help?" she asks calmly. I sigh in relief that she isn't asking questions about the cut on my face, even though I'm sure she noticed.

"Um. Yeah. Please. I'm stuck on number three." I stammer with a chuckle while pointing to the half-finished problem on my paper, which she picks up and exams briefly before finding the problem.

"You didn't follow the formula, Bella." She states with a chuckle while leaning towards me to show me my mistake. I'm immediately enveloped in her warm vanilla and cinnamon scent and I can't help but revel in it. It's very relaxing and makes it very hard for me to focus on the math problems in front of me.

"Got it?" her voice breaks me out of my stupor and I manage to nod. I look at the paper and see that she wrote down the formula, thankfully since I wasn't paying attention to a word she said.

I briefly glance around the classroom and my eyes land on Jasper, who is staring intensely at me with that stupid smirk on his face. When he realizes that I'm looking at him, he brings his hand up to his face, brings his pointer and middle finger to either side of his mouth and sticks is his tongue out, flicking it up and down rapidly. I quickly look away from the crude gesture and turn to Ms. Hale, who's typing on her computer.

"Do you mind if I finish up here? So you can check it when I'm finished?" I ask, partly to avoid Jasper and partly because I'd much rather sit up here with her.

"Yeah, honey, of course." She says briefly looking at me to smile and then focusing back onto whatever is on her computer.

We spent the next 10 minutes working diligently, her on her work on the computer and me on my classwork. The bell for the end of class rang as I was finishing up the last problem. Students began to file out and place their work in a pile on Ms. Hale's on their way out. I hastily finished and placed it in the pile along with rest of the class'. I made my way back to my desk to pack up my things and while I was doing so I notice the classroom is empty now.

"Bella," I hear Rosalie call from behind me. "You're still coming for lunch, right?"

"Yeah, of course." I say with a smile while turning towards her and reaching up to tuck a stray hair behind my ear. The action causes my baggy sleeve to fall down revealing my cuts from the night before to Ms. Hale, whose eyes study them in shock. I quickly put my arm down once I realize what she's staring at, effectively covering the cuts with my sleeve and grab my things, making my way towards the door hastily. Before I can exit Ms. Hale is in front of me, blocking my path, staring at me intensely with concern evident in her electric blue eyes.

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	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

Reviews make me update faster, so here you go.

I stare at Ms. Hale with wide eyes as she blocks my path to the door. Her stance and icy stare is extremely intimidating and I briefly wonder if anyone's ever been able to deny her anything.

"What's going on, Bella?" she asks sternly, eyeing the small gash on my face with concern. I shift awkwardly and look anywhere but at her, all of a sudden finding the brown and white tile floors very interesting.

When she realizes I'm not going to answer, she shuts the door and leans back onto it placing one ankle over the other and crossing her arms over her chest, obviously ready to wait for a response from me.

_Yup, definitely intimidating._ I think nervously as I shift my weight from my left foot to my right, tugging my sleeves down self-consciously.

"I'm going to be late." I say, ineffectively avoiding the question as I take a small step towards her, hoping she'll take the hint and move out of my way. She doesn't. Ms. Hale just raises an eyebrow at me and continues to stare at me intensely, waiting for an answer to her question that I was obviously avoiding.

The late bell eventually rings and we're still standing here. You'd think that she would've lost interest in trying to coerce answers out of me by now and drop it, but she continued to wait for my response, patient as ever.

_Why does she care? _I think to myself, genuinely confused. The feeling of being cared about and having someone show concern for me is very foreign. I don't know how to respond or react.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, she sighs loudly and stands up straight with her arms still crossed. She looks at me, takes a deep breath and says, "Fine. If you don't want to tell me that's okay, I won't push." I sigh in relief.

"But Mrs. Cullen will." She says with conviction as she moves towards her desk, most likely to call Mrs. Cullen.

Panic shoots through me and I immediately move forward as if to somehow stop her from calling the principal, who I'm sure will call home to investigate, something I really don't want to happen. Dad will find out and CPS will most likely take me away from them. Despite everything that's been going on there I'd much rather be there than with some strange family in the middle of Idaho.

"Wait!" I call out to her somewhat desperately. She turns on her heel towards me and looks at me expectantly. "I'll tell you whatever you want to know just please… don't tell anyone." I plead.

"You have my word, Bella." She says and I can't help but believe her as I look into her sincere eyes.

Before I can open my mouth to reveal what happened to her, there's a quick knock on the door followed by the sound of it opening. I turn around to see Mrs. Cullen entering the room with a folder full of papers in her arms.

"Hey, sweetheart. I thought I'd stop by and-." She stops talking suddenly when she notices me standing there and gives me a wide smile. "Hello Isabella. Is she a student of yours, Rose?" she asks while turning to smile questioningly at Ms. Hale.

_Rose?_ I think questioningly.

She walks towards her and, to my surprise, gives her a quick peck on the cheek while handing her the papers in her hands. Ms. Hale smiles warmly at her, which only confuses me further, and nods her head to answer Mrs. Cullen's question. Ms. Hale must have noticed the confused expression on my face because she chuckles and begins to explain.

"Bella, Mrs. Cullen is my aunt." She says to me while placing the folder of papers on her desk, and turning towards me. "Aunt Esme this is my student and aid, Isabella." She says fondly while smiling almost… _proudly? _I wave at Mrs. Cullen with a small smile on my face.

I then begin to notice the similarities between Ms. Hale and Mrs. Cullen. I can't believe I didn't notice the connection sooner. The electric blue eyes. The facial bone structure. The full lips. They both really are gorgeous. I suddenly feel very inadequate standing in the room with these beautiful women.

"I'll see you at lunch, Ms. Hale." I say taking the opportunity to leave and walking backwards towards the door.

"You better," she states seriously. "I wouldn't want to have to make that phone call, Bella." She continues casually as if she isn't threatening me in front of Mrs. Cullen, who happens to be her aunt and my principal.

_Bold move, Ms. Hale._

"Whatever." I mutter, miffed at the fact that Ms. Hale hadn't forgotten and has mentioned it in front of Mrs. Cullen.

"Nice seeing you, Bella." Says Mrs. Cullen with a wave as she has a seat in Ms. Hale's chair at her desk. _Someone's comfortable._ I think amusedly. Ms. Hale swats her arm playful as soon she sees her sitting in the chair and Mrs. Cullen just rolls her eyes and scoffs as she gets more comfortable in Ms. Hale's seat. Ms. Hale laughs and huffs playfully. It's odd seeing them both so playful and relaxed. It's like seeing a dog walk on its hind legs, interesting and unusual.

_They_ _seem really_ _close_.

"It's Bella." I say to Mrs. Cullen with a smile as I turn to Ms. Hale. "Can I have a pass, please?" I ask, the warm tone I had taken on when speaking to Mrs. Cullen applying to her too. I call it my 'adult' voice that every teenager adopts when speaking to specific adults. She raises her eyebrow in amusement, obviously noticing my 'adult' voice, and chuckles while opening her drawer to retrieve the stack of passes.

"Make sure you're here at lunch time." she reminds me again while handing me my pass, I tug on the pass but she holds onto it and stares at me seriously. "Seriously, Bella. Be here." She says and then proceeds to let go.

"Okay." I say quietly with a small smile. I turn around, smile at Mrs. Cullen quickly, and walk out of the classroom towards my next class.

I make it through the rest of my morning classes relatively easily, considering the only class I actually struggle in is AP Statistics. Convenient, right?

The inevitable conversation that I'm going to have with Ms. Hale is a constant in my mind. It makes me anxious and my anxiety only increases as the periods go on.

The bell for lunch finally rings and I slowly gather my things off my desk in my AP Lit. class and exit the classroom. I decide to stop at my locker to drop off my books before I go to Ms. Hale's classroom, all the while telling myself that I'm not stalling, I'm just not in a huge rush to get there. I slowly place my books in my locker and close it with a sigh, already feeling the dread rising inside me. I turn and begin to walk in the direction of Ms. Hale's classroom slowly, not in any rush whatsoever to get there.

When I reach her classroom I find myself hesitating slightly, not really sure if I'm ready to go through with this just yet. I take a deep breath and knock.

"Come in." I hear her call out from the other side of the door.

I enter the classroom and shut the door behind me. I wave to Ms. Hale as I make my way to my desk to place my stuff down. I sit down at the desk and feel my phone vibrate, which I grab and check the notification on the screen. I sigh when I discover it's only an email, I was hoping for some sort of distraction. I know I'm not the only one who depends on their phone to get them out of awkward situations.

"How are you, Bella?" asks Ms. Hale as she gives me her undivided attention while leaning back in her chair with an eyebrow raised.

"Fine." I reply curtly, shifting uncomfortably in my seat. Being around her makes me really nervous for some reason.

"Look, I'm not going to beat around the bush here, Bella. I'm worried about you, Bella" she says bluntly. Her intimidating gaze paired with her straight forward question cause me to bite my lip and look away. "What happened to your face and arm?" She asks.

Her words hit me hard. Never in my 18 years have I heard someone show such concern towards me. Not once. I guess I've just never had anyone to worry about me. It's been me, myself, and I for a while. It feels really… good hearing those words from someone. I've never really had anyone I could trust besides myself. It's always been just me. I desperately wanted that to change, and maybe this was my chance.

"Last night, my dad…" I begin as I get up and start to walk around the room. "He, um, was really drunk and… things just got out of hand I guess." I say quietly while avoiding her eyes. "He'd never hurt me purposely though. Last night was just… I shouldn't have tried to calm him down. I just…" I trail off not really knowing what to say. I mean what do you say after you've revealed something like that to someone?

I hear her get up from her chair and hear her heels click loudly in the silent room as she makes her way over to me. She gently grasps my hands in hers and I gasp at the fuzzy feeling that takes over me as soon as her skin touches mine. She turns my hands over, palms facing up, and gently pushes both of my sleeves up. The cuts are still an angry red color and some bruising is present around several. She studies them closely with a calm expression on her beautiful face, but I can see the anger swimming in her eyes. She eventually sighs heavily and tugs down my sleeves without letting go of my forearms. She tugs my forearms gently towards her and before I know it I find myself wrapped up in her arms, surrounded by her warm and inviting incredible vanilla and cinnamon scent. Something about the warmth and lovingness of her hug causes me to tear up as I rest my head on her shoulder and wrap my arms around her waist tightly and sniffle. She tightens her arms, which are around my shoulders, and rubs my back lovingly when she hears the sniffle that I let out. That sniffle is followed by tears. A lot of them.

"Oh, sweetheart." She coos when she feels my body start shake with sobs against her. "Don't make excuses for him. You didn't do anything wrong. He has no excuse to _ever_ put his hands on you. None." She says strongly and I can hear the anger and sadness in her voice.

After about ten minutes of standing in her arms crying with her comforting me, my crying eventually slowed to where only a few tears were falling. I step back out of her arms, immediately missing the warmth. I take a deep breath and sniffle pathetically while she gazes at me sadly.

"Sorry, I don't usually do that." I say with a small chuckle.

"Don't apologize for feeling the way you feel, Bella." She says with a shake of her head and a laugh. The action causes her hair to shake and fall around her gently. In my mind it happens in slow motion and I'm reminded of a Pantene commercial that I saw once.

_God,_ _she's_ _gorgeous._

"Why aren't you a model or an actress or something like that?" I blurt out unconsciously and immediately feel a deep red blush take over my face. I probably look like a tomato right now. With freckles.

She laughs and shakes her head in amusement at me as she reaches forward to wipe the tears from my face gently. Her hands leave a trail of warmth and this odd prickly sensation.

"I like this job." She states simply as she drops her hands from my face and walks over to her desk, having a seat and patting the one next to her. I walk over and plop down next to her and turn towards her. The bell signaling the end of lunch period rings and I jump slightly at the loud, piercing sound.

_Really, Bella?_ I think to myself incredulously. _It's a bell, not a gunshot. Chill the fuck out._

"Why?" I ask curiously as I pick up a frog off her desk which I quickly realize is a stapler when a staple shoots out when I push on the head, causing me to yelp embarrassingly.

"I like being able to share my knowledge about something that I'm good at and enjoy doing." She states as she takes the stapler from my hands and places it back on her desk. I stick my tongue out at her and she rolls her eyes and arches an eyebrow at my antics. "I didn't really decide to teach high school though until after I graduated from college. When I was younger I wanted to teach preschool."

"How old are you, exactly?" I ask then quickly add, "Or are you one of _those_ women?"

"What women?" she asks curiously with a questioning smile on her face.

"You know those women. The women who guard their age like it contains the secret to end the world or something and then get extremely offended when you ask about it." I say matter-of-factly.

She throws her head back and laughs loudly, the sound extremely pleasing to my ears.

"You are something else, Bella. No I am not one of _those_ women, thank you very much." She says with a chuckle. "I'm 24."

"Wow really? That's really young." I say with a confused look on my face.

"I skipped seventh and tenth grade." She answers with a proud smile on her face.

"Over-achiever." I mutter under my breath with a smile. She playfully flicks me in my temple and I grab my head and let out an overdramatic cry of pain, which causes her to laugh and reach over to rub the temple she just flicked.

"You're so adorable." She says lovingly, causing me to blush and duck my head bashfully. No one's ever called me adorable before from what I can remember. Hot? Sure. Sexy? Yeah. Adorable? Never.

"Thanks, Ms. Hale." I say with a shy smile.

"Call me Rosalie, please. Ms. Hale still sounds kind of odd." She says while scrunching up her face in a way that almost makes me coo at how cute she looks.

The bell signaling the end of the school day rings and she casually grabs a stack of post-it notes of the corner of her desk and scribbles something down really quickly. She hands it to me and I see that she wrote down a phone number, presumably hers. I look up at her questioningly.

"Call me if you ever need anything, Bella." She says seriously. "It doesn't matter what time or for what. I'm always here for you. If something happens with your dad again call me. If you just need someone to talk to call me. I care about you, Bella, honestly. I'm always here." She finishes while looking into my eyes earnestly.

I nod and pull out my phone to enter her number. Once I save it I press 'call' and wait until I hear her phone vibrating inside her desk to hang up. "Now you have my number too" I say softly.

I gather my stuff and stand and make my way to the door, when I reach it I turn around and say, "Bye, Rosalie. Thank you. For everything."

"You're welcome, Bella. See you tomorrow, yeah?" she says with a smile as I open the door.

"Yeah, tomorrow." I say as I walk out the door and close it gently behind me. I navigate my way through the halls towards my locker. I gather the books that I need for homework out and shut it, the sound echoing in the now empty hallways.

As I walk past the office on my way to the main entrance, I remember that I have to go inform Mrs. Cullen who I'll be student aiding for, so I quickly make a detour towards her office.

I knock softly at her office door and enter when I hear her call out, "Come on in."

"Hi, Mrs. Cullen. I just wanted to let you know that I'll be student aiding for Ms. Hale sixth and seventh period." I say quickly with a smile. She briefly looks up from the computer to see who had entered her office and smiles when she realizes it's me.

"That's fine, dear." She says with a smile before continuing her work on her computer.

"Thanks." I say and exit the room with a wave that she returns as I close the door and continue out to the parking lot.

When I reach my car, which is parked at the far side of the student parking lot, I notice something off as I walk closer and closer. As soon as I'm close enough to see I notice that someone has keyed my car. From the beginning of the driver's side door all the way to the back of the car is the word 'slut' in all capital letters.

"Fucking assholes." I say angrily as I lean down to inspect the damage, which isn't too bad and can easily be fixed. What was keying my car going to prove? What could it possibly prove? Exactly.

I get into my car roughly, tossing my thing into the passenger seat, and rest my head on the wheel, feeling completely fed up.

_I don't need this shit. _

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	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

You guys reviewed so I updated sooner. Thanks.

I wake up the next morning, which is a Thursday, and just lay there. I stare at the ceiling and make no move to remove myself from my bed. I just feel so tired. Not just physically but emotionally also, and I can't bring myself to do anything at that point really but lay there and listen to the sounds around me. I listen to my father and Courtney get up and get ready for work. I listen to their footsteps descending the stairs and the sounds of cabinets opening and closing in the kitchen. I listen to the front door slam shut. I listen to the garage doors opening and closing followed by the sounds of their cars pulling out of the driveway. I listen to the deafening silence that is left behind after they leave. In the back of my mind I was hoping one of them would come in and check on me and ask me why I wasn't up or why I wasn't going to school. I wanted them to _care_.

I turn over and close my eyes, willing myself back into sleep.

_I don't want to listen anymore._

When I awake for the second time I don't feel so physically tired anymore but I do have a sharp pain in my lower back that makes me hiss in pain. I get out of bed and make my way to the bathroom silently. I quickly go to use the bathroom only to find that I have my period. I sigh heavily and reach into the cabinet under the sink to get out a box of tampons.

_Thanks,_ _Mother_ _Nature._ I think sarcastically. At least now I know why my mood has been lower than usual today.

I pad back to my room and throw myself back into bed, reaching over to my night stand to grab my laptop. I sit back against my headboard and rest my laptop on my lap, all while typing in my password. I open up a browser and decide to catch up on the shows that I have been slacking on lately. I navigate my way to Hulu and click on an episode of Pretty Little Liars. I snuggle deeper into the mountain of blankets and pillows on my bed and lose myself in the show.

Many hours later and almost 2 seasons of Pretty Little Liars later, I finally sigh and close my laptop. I sit my laptop on my nightstand and stretch out with a loud yawn erupting from my mouth. I quickly glance out the window to see that it's dark outside and look at the clock and see that it's ten o'clock.

_Wow_, I think to myself as I stand up and stretch again before making my way across the room towards the light switch and turning it on. I squint my eyes against the blinding light for a second before my eyes adjust. _I've been_ _sitting_ _in my_ _bed for_ _12 hours_ _straight on my laptop on a Thursday._ _Damn I'm_ _exciting._

I make my way over to dresser and grab my phone only to find that it's dead. I must've forgotten to put it on the charger last night. I quickly connect it to the charger before making my way to the bathroom. I use the bathroom and handle my '_lady_ _business'_. I wash my hands and then open my medicine cabinet and quickly scan it for something to alleviate the cramps in my lower back. I sigh when I find nothing and pad my way out the bathroom, through my bedroom door and down the hall towards my parent's bathroom. I walk inside the large white bathroom and make my way towards the cabinet that I know belongs to Courtney. I open it and scan the contents for Ibuprofen, which I quickly locate and grab with a sigh. Before I can close the cabinet multiple orange pill prescription pill bottles catch my eye. I reach forward and grab one. The label say 'Oxycodone' a name which I immediately recognize. I've read about people getting high off of this drug. Without thinking I take the bottle along with the Ibuprofen and make my way back to my room.

_She won't miss it_, I think to myself thinking of the multiple other bottles I saw in the cabinet.

I sit the bottle of Oxycodone on my night stand and open the bottle of Ibuprofen and dry swallow two. I grimace briefly as they go down and close the bottle before setting it on my nightstand, reminding myself to return it later.

My stomach rumbles in hunger and I realize that I haven't eaten all day. I make my way out of my room and down the stairs towards the kitchen. I turn on all the lights on the way there, knowing that being alone in a dark house at night isn't something that I want to experience. I enter the kitchen and go straight to the freezer, grabbing some frozen chicken tenders and fries. I preheat the oven and get out a cookie-sheet placing the food on there. I stick it in the oven before its done pre-heating, not wanting to wait. I set the timer and exit the kitchen.

I then decide to sit in the living-room until it's finished and watch some TV. After flipping through the channels and finding absolutely nothing, considering it is a Thursday night, I move to the DVD cabinet across the large living room and grab my favorite movie, Pretty Woman. I pop it into the DVD player and settle into the couch as it begins to play. I've probably seen this movie about a thousand times, but it never gets old to me.

About halfway through the movie, the front door opens and my father and Courtney enter, both looking extremely professional in their work clothes. My father being the CEO of his company and Courtney being a district attorney, it's to be expected. I ignore their presence completely and turn back to my movie, hoping that they'll both just head up stairs. Apparently luck has something against me lately.

"Bella," my dad calls out from the foyer. "Can you come out here for a minute? I'd like to speak with you."

_Well look who's sober._ I think to myself as I get up with a huff and make my way into the foyer.

"Yes?" I ask exasperatedly while staring at him expectantly. He completely disregards my lack of enthusiasm and clears his throat. I look towards the clock on the wall and begin to count the seconds out of sheer disregard for whatever he has to say.

"Your mother called me today." He starts, causing my eyes to snap towards him, giving him my undivided attention. "She says you haven't been answering her calls. She was calling to inform you that she's coming up here for a visit. She'll arrive tomorrow night and she'd like to see you." He finishes and stares at me obviously expecting an answer.

"And you told her it was okay?" I ask heatedly while glaring at him. "I want nothing to do with her. _She_ left _us_. Not the other way around. She can't just come and go as she pleases, that's not how it works. She made her decision, now she has to live with it. I'm not going to see her. End of story." And with that I turn on my heel and go back into the living room, fully intending on finishing my movie. But apparently my dad has other plans.

"Too bad it isn't up to you. You're still a child and still living under my roof and will do as I say. I don't know when you decided you were an adult but you need to rethink that because you're not." He says while blocking the TV. I glare at him heatedly and feel the anger rise inside of me.

"I'm 18 you can't make me do anything! And I decided I was an adult when you and Renee both decided to stop giving a fuck!" I yell heatedly while standing up and walking out of the living room. Before I can make it up the stairs Courtney is blocking my way and staring at me in confusion.

"Whoa, where's the fire, Bella?" she say while grabbing my shoulders. I push her off and make my way into the kitchen, where I can hear the oven timer going off. As I open the oven I hear both of their footsteps enter the kitchen.

"What's going, Charlie?" I hear her ask him as I grab the oven mitts and remove my food from the oven, placing it on top of the stove.

"Renee is coming to visit and Bella is refusing to see her." Charlie says angrily while slapping the countertop. I roll my eyes as I move towards the cabinet and grab a plate setting it down on the countertop next to the stove.

_Big_ _baby_.

"Well maybe you should try and see it from Bella's point of view. Renee hasn't been around for 2 years." Courtney say gently.

_Holy shit. Is she taking my side?_ I think in shock as I place my food on my plate while moving to the refrigerator to grab the ranch dressing and the Simply Lemonade. I pour some of both and place them back into the refrigerator.

"I highly doubt this is any of your business." Charlie says dismissively. "Now Isabella-"

_Oh_ _shit_.

"Excuse me?" she interrupts him shrilly as I grab my food and make my way up to my room, not wanting to be caught in the middle of _that_ argument.

I enter my room and shut my door and have a seat on my bed. I immediately begin eating my food, practically starving at this point. I turn on the flat screen TV hanging on the wall across from my bed, trying to drown out the noises of them screaming from downstairs. I absolutely hate when they argue because it almost always ends in dad drinking. And dad drinking always leads to him hitting Courtney, their screams and the sounds of him hitting her always keep me awake.

I flip through the channels and decide to watch an episode of Teen Mom because honestly the show isn't all that bad.

_Don't judge me._

I finish my food and briefly look at the clock, noting that it's 11:30. The screaming match downstairs that has been going on for the last fifteen minutes has taken a brief pause so I take that as my queue to quickly go downstairs and place my dishes in the kitchen.

I quickly pad out of my room and down the stairs towards the kitchen. I enter the kitchen to see my dad at the counter pouring himself some whiskey and Courtney sitting at the island with her face buried in her hands. I hastily put my dishes in the sink, ignoring the both of them, and swiftly walk out of the room and up the stairs. Halfway up the stairs I hear them start up again and I sigh loudly as I reach my room and slam my bedroom door closed, which doesn't block them out at all.

"You aren't her parent!" I here Charlie yell as I turn off my TV and move towards my dresser and grab my headphones and iPod. I put them on and turn on my iPod.

"You're _barely_ her parent either! When's the last time you saw her when you weren't completely drunk out of your mind?" I hear Courtney yell shrilly followed by a loud smack and a thud, accompanied by Courtney's cry of pain.

I swiftly begin to blast my music the first song that comes on is 'Young and Beautiful' by Lana Del Ray. The soft melody of the song and Lana Del Ray's soothing voice fill my ears as I grab my school books and start on homework.

_I've_ _seen the world, _

_Done it all_

_Had my cake now_

Courtney's cries of pain reach my ears. I concentrate harder on the math problems in front of me.

_Diamonds,_

_Brilliant_

_In Bel- Air now_

I can hear my father screaming at her and thuds from downstairs. With shaky hands I write down the equation and begin to work it out in my head.

_Hot summer night, Mid-July_

_When you and I were forever wild_

_The crazy days, city lights_

_The way you'd play with me like a child. _

"Charlie!" I hear her scream as I hear glass shatter. I feel tears slip sown my face as I squeeze my pencil in my tighter and write down the answer.

_Will you still love me,_

_When I'm no longer young and beautiful?_

_Will you still love me, _

_When I've got nothing but my aching soul?_

Another crash.

I rip off my headphones and toss them across the room with a growl of frustration, angry that they aren't blocking out the sounds of the violence occurring downstairs. I press my palms against my eyes tightly and breathe hard. I abandon my homework on my bed and begin to pace around my room. The shouts and crashing from downstairs increasing in volume.

I feel a wave of guilt wash over me as I hear Courtney scream again. If I hadn't refused to see Renee in the first place my dad wouldn't have gotten angry. Courtney wouldn't have jumped in. They wouldn't have started arguing. Dad wouldn't have started drinking. And Courtney wouldn't be downstairs get her ass kicked. All because of me.

_I can't do this anymore, I need a distraction. _I think desperately as take a deep shuddering breath, trying to calm down and not focus on the sounds coming from downstairs. Rosalie's face pops into my mind and I instinctively move towards my phone and grab it off of the charger. I unlock it and scroll through my contacts until I reach Rosalie's number. My thumb hesitates over the call button as I notice that it's almost midnight. Another crash downstairs prompts me to press the call and button. It rings four times before the phone is picked up and I hear some rustling in the background before I hear her voice.

"Hello?" she answers, sounding fully awake despite the time. Her voice filled me with an overwhelming sense of relief and I take a deep breath. "Bella?"

"Hey." I reply and I wince at how choked up my voice sounds, even to me. I feel a few more tears make their way down my face as I hear more banging and screams come from downstairs. A few moments of silence pass, the only sounds being my sniffles and the noise occurring downstairs. Now that Rosalie has actually answered the phone I don't know what to say. I wonder why I can't bring myself to say or do anything other than clutch my phone tightly while tears stream down my face at a steady pace. I squeeze my eyes shut when the noises from downstairs increase in volume.

"Are those screams I hear in the background?" Rosalie asks, her voice filled with concern. I imagine her brow furrowing like it usually does when she shows concern for something.

"Yeah." I reply weakly while I lay down in my bed, burrowing myself into my many pillows and blankets with a weak sniffle.

"Are you okay, Bella? Are you hurt?" Rosalie asks with an urgency that I've never heard from her before. It almost makes me smile because I'm reminded that Rosalie actually cares about me, something that I'm still trying to get used to.

"No, I'm not hurt." I reply softly while burying myself deeper into my blankets and I hear her sigh in relief on the other end of the phone.

"What's going on, Bella?" Rosalie asks gently calming down slightly when she's informed that I'm not hurt.

"They're fighting again." I cry. "He's hurting her and I want to stop it so bad I swear. I just…" I say, my voice raising and beginning to sound slightly hysterical. I let out a broken sob as I hear another cry from downstairs.

"Okay. Alright. It's not your fault." Rosalie soothes as she hears my broken sob.

"It is!" I cry completely hysterical at this point as the cries downstairs continue. I've started to sob hysterically and I can hear Rosalie's soothing voice on the other end of the phone trying desperately to calm me down.

"Bella?" she asks calmly and continues when she gets no response from me. "I need you to take a deep breath or me. Can you do that?" I take a deep shuddering breath. "Good. Now tell me what you need." She hesitates slightly before continuing, "Do you want me to come and get you?"

"Yeah." I say without thinking as I hear more crashing from downstairs. I sniffle some more as I hear her sigh and hear more rustling from her side of the phone. There's a few moments of silence before she speaks again.

"I'm on my way, okay?" I hear keys jingling and the sounds of a door closing on her end of the phone. "Do you want me to stay on the phone until I get there?"

"Mhm." I reply softly while getting out of bed to put some clothes on. I grab some lime green LOVE PINK sweats, my dark brown UGGS, and my black Northface fleece. I throw them on as I hear Rosalie start her car and grab my brown over the shoulder H&M bag and throw my phone charger inside. I make my way to the bathroom, phone still pressed against my ear to give Rosalie directions, and throw my toothbrush, some pads and tampons, my make-up case, and my facial scrubs into my bag. I walk back into room and grab the two bottles of pills off of my desk and throw them into the bag too. I look out the window to see if I need to buzz Rosalie into the gate only to see that it's already open and I can see a car turn into our driveway.

"I'm outside, honey." I hear her say and I quickly hang up the phone and move away from the window to turn off the lights in my room, grab my bag, my keys and make my way into the hallway, closing the door behind me. I run downstairs past my parents, who completely ignore my presence and continue arguing, and run towards the door. I open the door and step outside into the cold night air and make my way towards the black Range Rover.

I enter the car silently and look at Rosalie with a weak smile which she returns warmly. I notice her eyes briefly give me a once over, seemingly checking for any damages, and she looks satisfied when she finds none. She does however from when she takes in my red puffy eyes and my tear stained cheeks. I notice that she's wearing pink silk pajama pants, black UGGS, and a black Northface windbreaker. She has her thick blonde hair tied up in a ponytail and no make-up on. She still looks incredible.

"Oh, sweetheart." She coos gently as she looks at me. She says nothing more and just puts the car into drive and pulls out of the driveway. I put my seatbelt on and lean my head onto the window with my eyes closed. 'Give Me Love' by Ed Sheeran is playing softly and I hum along softly as we drive in a comfortable silence.

We pull up outside of a building that I recognize as the new building of condos that were built almost a year ago. We exit the car silently and I follow her into the building. The lobby is very nicely decorated and looks very high end. I shadow her over to the elevator silently and watched as she pressed the button.

"Are you sure you're okay? You're really quiet over there." She says with a furrowed brow while looking at me.

I nod my head with a small smile followed by a huge yawn that causes me to stretch with both hands in the air. When I relax I find Rosalie smiling fondly at me.

"You're so adorable. Like a little cat." She says, reaching over to pinch my cheeks. I immediately swat her hands away with a pout on my face as I step into the elevator, which has just opened. She chuckles and follows me inside, pulling out her keys. The elevator doors close and she sticks her key into the key hole next to the button labeled 'PH'. I immediately realize that her condo must be the penthouse suite. I raise my eyebrows, impressed. I feel the elevator begin to move and I look over at Rosalie, only to find her already looking at me. She makes a funny face when she catches my eyes and which I return, causing us both to laugh quietly.

The elevator comes to a stop and the doors open to reveal a very large, nicely decorated condo. We step out the elevator and I follow her into a very nice kitchen. She puts her keys onto the counter and takes off her jacket, hanging it on the back of one of the barstools at the island.

All of a sudden I'm tackled to the ground by something furry and feel my face being attacked with a wet tongue. I highly doubt it's Rosalie on top of me and I come to the conclusion that she must have a dog.

"No, Riley! Bad girl!" I hear Rosalie exclaim as I feel the big furry beast being pulled off of me. I look up at Rosalie's amused expression with a pout on my face and she appears to be holding back a laugh. I huff and turn my attention to my attacker, a huge golden retriever, who is panting and trying to squirm away from Rosalie's tight grip on her collar, her tail wagging madly.

I pull myself up off of the floor and wipe my face with the back of my sleeve. I take my bag off and place it on the counter while bending down to pet the big dog. I didn't peg Rosalie for the dog type but I guess you learn something new every day.

"This is Riley, Bella." She says while smiling fondly at the dog who is reveling the loving strokes that I'm giving her. I smile and stand up after giving the dog one last stroke.

Rosalie turns around and beckons me to follow her, which I do. She leads me down a hallway and opens a door to her left, revealing a nicely furnished bedroom.

"This is the guestroom, you'll be sleeping in here. Okay? I'm right across the hall if you need anything." She says as she makes her way to the door. She pauses halfway out of the door and turns towards me. "I'm glad you trusted me enough to call me tonight, Bella. You can stay here anytime you'd like, I don't mind. I'm just really glad you're okay. I was so afraid you'd been hurt when my phone rang and I saw your name on the screen… I just… I care a lot, Bella. Please know that." She says so sincerely and before I know it I'm taking quick strides across the room and launching myself into her arms. I throw my arms around her and she returns the gesture with equal fever.

"Thank you." I whisper in her ear quietly. Her only response is to squeeze me tighter briefly before letting me go and stepping back with a big yawn.

"Goodnight, Bella." She says quietly with a small smile as she pulls the door closed halfway and walks into her room across the hall. I turn towards the bed and it looks so comfortable in that moment that I almost run towards it. The clock on the nightstand reads 1:16 and I finally notice how tired my body is. I pull my hair out of the ponytail and shake it loose and pull off my Northface. I kick off my UGGS and my socks, knowing that I can't sleep with them on. I then quickly climb into the extremely comfortable bed and I close my eyes almost immediately after my head hits the pillow.

I hear the door creek open almost silently, followed by the bed shaking as a weight jumps up onto the bed and snuggles into me. I welcome the warm body next to me by snuggling back into it.

I fall asleep with Riley's warm breathe cascading over my face.

Review.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

Author's Note: It's come to my attention that some of you guys seem to think that I'm copying from 'Age Doesn't Matter In Love. I'm not. I've read the story and I think it's amazing but I wouldn't copy it. I work really hard on my story, so it's kind of offensive that you guys would think that. The only similarity is the Math teacher thing. Believe it or not she didn't invent Math teachers. Thanks.

sidedish: You missed Bella giving Rosalie directions. It's definitely in there. And Rosalie isn't being extremely cautious because they aren't doing anything wrong. She's just helping Bella. There's no law against that.

Thanks to everyone else for the reviews, favorites and follows. I appreciate it.

When I awake I feel extremely disoriented. I'm in an unfamiliar room and I can feel the panic slowly rising, only to subside when I remember the events of the night before and where I am. I sigh and sit up in bed, looking around the room I'm in, taking in the gold and white theme. The bed is a canopy bed and the frame is a dark mahogany brown, matching the rest of the furniture in the room. I come to the conclusion that this is a very nice guest room.

I run a hand through my hair and get up out of the bed slowly, noting the silence that is present throughout the condo. I walk out into the hallway and turn to my left, guessing that this room must be the bathroom. I use the bathroom and handle my 'lady business', feeling very weird since I am in a teacher's house, Rosalie's no less.

I exit the bathroom and walk down the hallway, entering the kitchen. I look around the open space, towards the living room and dining room, coming to the conclusion that I must be here alone. I sigh and make my way over to my bag to retrieve my phone. I push the home button and the screen lights up, revealing my notifications to me.

_3 new text messages._

_1 missed call._

I unlock my phone to check who the messages and the phone call are from. I have one new text from Rosalie and two messages and a missed call from Courtney. I decide to check Rosalie's first.

_Left for work. Sorry I didn't wake you but I knew how exhausted you were and I figured you weren't going to school. Make yourself at home, sweetheart. Xo_

I smile softly to myself at her text and let my eyes linger on the 'Xo' briefly before moving onto Courtney's texts.

_Where are you?_

_Why aren't you answering your phone? Are you okay?_

I find smiling slightly at Courtney's texts.

_She was worried about me_, I think into myself_. And she obviously went into my_ _room to check on me._

Ever since Courtney and my father got married I'd never really given myself a chance to get close to her. I resented her for marrying my father, I still had hopes that my parents would get back together and Charlie marrying Courtney put an end to those dreams. I hated her even though she'd never given me a legitimate reason to. She tried really hard to bond with me the few months, but after several fruitless attempts on her behalf she eventually gave up. Now that I look back on it I regret my decision. I was an asshole.

I sigh and decide to call Courtney to come and get me, I couldn't just stay in Rosalie's house all day. I scroll through my contacts and press the call button next to Courtney's name. It rings six times before going to voicemail.

_Hi, you've reached Courtney Swan. Please leave a message._

"Hey, Courtney. It's me, Bella." I say after the beep with a bit of hesitance as I walk back into the guest room and begin to out my socks and UGGS and jacket back on.

I finally get my shoes on and make my way back to the kitchen.

"I went to stay with a friend." I state simply as I grab my bag off of the counter and make my way towards the front door hurriedly. I quickly decide to meet her at the gas station about a block from here.

_I can't just ask her to pick me up from my Math teacher's house, now can I?_

"Can you come and pick me up from the gas station by the town grocery store?" I say her hopefully as I get into the elevator and press the button for the lobby.

I hope she doesn't ask questions about why I'm being picked up from a gas station if I stayed at a 'friend's house'.

"Okay well... bye." I say and hang up the phone without waiting for the beep, signaling that my allotted time has run out. I exit the elevator and make my way across the lobby, towards the front door. I exit the front door only to find that it's raining.

_Just my fucking luck._ I think sarcastically as I throw my hair up into a bun and zip up my bag to prevent my things from getting wet. I quickly put my phone into my pocket and zip it so it won't get wet.

I push open the doors and begin briskly walking towards the gas station. I'm semi-wet within a matter of minutes and I know my hair is a curly mess. I sigh exasperatedly as I think of the hours that will be spent blow drying and straightening it. I almost break into a full on sprint as I spot the gas station in the distance, the only thing keeping me from doing so is the bag around my shoulders. Instead I just begin to walk faster, reaching the gas station within two minutes.

I enter and decide to walk around and buy something to snack on, having skipped breakfast. I round a corner towards the back of the store, where the drinks are, and stop dead in my tracks when I see Jasper reaching into the cooler and grabbing a Sprite. It's odd seeing him by himself and not surrounded by his asshole jock friends. He notices me before I have the chance to escape and a smile slowly creeps its way onto his face.

"Hey, doll face." He says slyly as I walk around him towards the cooler that contains the juice. I roll my eyes and do my best to ignore him as my eyes scan over the contents of the cooler.

"Why aren't you at school, dipshit?" I ask casually as I lean into the cooler to grab a Raspberry Simply Lemonade. I feel his hands on my ass and his hot breath on my ear as he leans in to whisper to me.

"I'm suspended." He states casually as if he isn't completely violating my personal space. I quickly grab my drink and shove him off of me, while scoffing at his comment.

"No surprise there." I say while making my way to the snack aisle. He, not surprisingly, follows behind me and stands behind me as I scan the shelves for a snack.

"Ha-ha." He laughs sarcastically. "I took the fall for my man Mike. If he got another suspension then his parents were going to cut him off. No money for Mike equals no party favors for us." He says while looking around to see if anyone is listening.

"Party favors?" I ask suddenly interested as I grab a box of Wheat Thins of the shelf.

"Drugs, Bella." He says as if speaking to a small child. I huff and turn towards him, crossing my arms and cocking my hip, feeling slightly annoyed with myself for not knowing all the 'teenage slang' phrases. Not having friends or an actual social life can do that to you. Saying I'm curious about the normal teenage experience is a massive understatement.

"I knew that." I mutter grudgingly. I make my way towards the front of the store, where the cash register is located, with Jasper in tow. I get into line behind an elderly woman and a business man.

"I could get you some you know." He states casually, as if he isn't propositioning me drugs in the middle of a gas station. "If you ever trusted me enough to go somewhere with me that is."

I sigh and mull it over as I place my things onto the counter for the cashier to ring up. While he's ringing up my items I notice him not-so-subtly checking me out. I roll my eyes and dig into my bag to pull out my wallet. I pull out my Visa Black Card, swipe it and type in my code. He bags my things and I move towards the front door, only stopping when I remember that I don't have my car. I sigh and turn around, already beginning to regret what I'm about to do.

"Hey, Jasper, wanna give me ride home?" I say flirtatiously, while biting my lip in an enticing yet innocent manner.

"Yeah, sure, babe." He say while grabbing his soda off of the counter, his eyes on my lips. He grabs my hand as he walks past me and opens the door for the both of us. I follow him to his gray Jeep Wrangler and hop in with a raised eyebrow as he opens the door for me. He walks around to his side and hops in.

"I have a quick stop to make before I take you home, that alright?" He asks while starting the car. I can't help but feel slightly uneasy in the car with him but I brush it off.

"It's your car." I state simply as he drives out of the parking lot and onto the road.

We pull up outside of an average sized house towards the outskirts of town and Jasper exits the car, beckoning for me to follow him. I exit the car and follow him up onto the porch of the house. He takes out a key and places it into the keyhole turning it and unlocking the door. We step inside and I look around the nicely decorated house.

"Do you live here?" I ask him curiously as I follow him towards the back of the house where I can faintly hear voices.

"Yeah." He answers simply as he opens a door with some steps that slant downwards. I assume it's the basement and I can hear other voices as I follow Jasper down into the basement. As we reach the bottom of the stairs I'm greeted by the sight of seven people, two boys and two girls. Jasper walks over and greets them all with a simple high-fives and fist bumps calmly, a lot different than what I'm used to seeing from him at school.

"Guys this is Bella. Bella this is Jacob and Seth." He says referring to a tall, tan buff boy with tattoos and a long ponytail, Jacob, and a lean slightly muscular boy with short cropped hair, Seth. "And Alice and Leah." He say referring to a tan girl with long black hair and exotic beauty, Leah, and a short pale girl with long black hair and dark blue eyes.

I wave awkwardly and take a seat next to Jasper, the only person I know in this room.

We all eventually fall into an easy conversation about nothing and everything and I like the fact that these people, aside from Jasper, don't know anything about me. It feels nice.

I've never got a chance to see this side of Jasper either. Usually he's an ass. Now he's really cool and laid back and not all over me. I wonder if he feels the need to prove himself to his jock friends at school and that's why he acts the way he does. I wonder if he feels the pressure, like I do. I wonder if he gets really sad sometime, like I do. I wonder if he has _real_ problems, like I do. I wonder if there's a nice guy in there somewhere. I stare at him as he laughs and jokes around with these people and I can't help but wonder where that asshole that harasses me at school disappeared to. I think I could find myself being friends with _this_ Jasper. This Jasper that isn't completely obnoxious. This Jasper that isn't surrounded by his jock friends. This Jasper that isn't constantly disrespecting me. Just this Jasper. Not the other one.

But I'm not sure which one is the real one.

I'm brought out of my thought as I feel my phone begin to vibrate in my pocket. We were all laughing at Jacob's impersonation of his mother nagging. I quickly get up and excuse myself upstairs to take the call. I answer, without looking at the caller ID, once I'm in the kitchen.

"Hello?" I answer while taking a sip of my lemonade.

"Isabella?" I hear Renee's voice ask and I almost choke on my drink. I quickly swallow and clear my throat before answering.

"What?" I reply rudely with an attitude. I hear her sigh on the other line and I roll my eyes, silently willing this call to be over.

"I'm calling to remind you that we'll be arriving late tonight and I'd like you to come and stay with us for a while while I'm in town. I've spoken to your father and he agrees. I want to spend time with you and in order to do that I'll be renting a place in Forks and staying for a while." She says.

_Us?_

"Who's us?" I ask.

"Phil and I, Isabella." She states exasperatedly as if I know who that is. "You really need to get over whatever this thing is that you're holding against me. It's stupid. Your father took great care of you while I was gone but I'm back now and I'm trying to be a mother to you so _let me._" She says heatedly and I scoff loudly and hang-up on her without another word.

_My father took great care of me?_ I think to myself incredulously. _Fuck her, she doesn't know shit. _

She wasn't there when he was passed out drunk. She wasn't there when he would yell all those hateful things at me. She wasn't there when he was working extra hours and I was home alone all the time. She wasn't there.

All I ever wanted was for someone to be there.

She wasn't.

I blink back tears and try not to let her words and my thoughts get to me as I make my way back down the stairs and take a seat next to Jasper. If he notices the wetness in my eyes he doesn't comment on it. I notice that everyone passing around a joint and I quickly grab it from Jasper's hands, wanting to get high and forget.

I take a long hit and immediately start to cough and splutter. Everyone chuckles and Jasper pats my back as he takes a swig from the bottle of tequila that's being passed around also. I take another long hit and don't cough as much this time, having prepared myself before hand. Alice gets up and turns on some loud rap music that I recognize as Biggie Smalls and we all get up and begin to dance. Gradually get higher and higher. Drunker and drunker.

We continue like this for several hours. Dancing and laughing. Laughing and drinking. Drinking and smoking. I eventually end up dancing with Jasper, grinding my ass into his crotch while provocatively grabbing my chest and hair. I spot Alice and Leah dancing similarly with Seth and Jacob.

_God, you're such a disappointment, Isabella._ I hear my father's voice shout in my head.

I squeeze my eyes shut and turn around so that I'm facing Jasper, looking for a distraction. I reach up and kiss him forcefully, trying to get rid of my father's voice in my head. He kisses me back with fever and I respond by shoving my tongue in his mouth. I soon come to realize that this isn't enough, I can still hear dad in my head shouting insults. I pull away and look at Jasper with tears in my eyes and a seductive look on my face.

"Can we go to your room?" I ask, my speech only a slurring a little. He nods and proceeds to pick me up and toss me over his shoulder causing me to shriek and giggle loudly. He runs up the stairs and through his house at a pretty fast pace, considering the fact that I'm over his shoulder. He enters a room that is relatively neat, with a queen sized bed in the middle of the far wall. Before I can take in any more details he tosses me down onto the bed and gazes down at me hungrily. He rips off his own shirt and then mine. Then my bra. Then his pants. Then mine. Then my underwear. Then his. He doesn't ask me if I'm sure. He doesn't ask me if I'm comfortable. He just goes for it. I see him rip open a condom and slide it over his penis.

Then I close my eyes and let myself forget.

When we're done he asks me if I want to stay and I shake my head no and get up to put my clothes back on. It's dark so it proves to be a big challenge as I try and wrestle my jeans on. I grab my bag and turn towards him expectantly, wordlessly watching him struggle to find a shirt in the dark. As soon as we're both dressed we head out of his room and outside towards his car, all in an awkward silence. I give him my address and he puts it into the GPS on his phone silently and begins to drive.

"I didn't, you know…" he starts and then hesitates before continuing. "You wanted it too, right?"

"You didn't force me, Jasper." I state quietly as I look out of the window. He pulls in through the open gate around my house and continues up the driveway.

"Good." He states. We continue to drive in silence for a few more minutes before he continues. "Bella, I… I know I'm a real jerk sometimes but… I really do like you and I just… would you… I don't know wanna go out sometime? With me?" He asks while rubbing the back of his neck and for the first time since I've known him, Jasper Hale is flustered.

I turn my watery gaze towards him and smile softly.

"Maybe." I say quietly before I get out of the car and make my way towards the front door before he can say anything else. I hear him start up his car and drive out of the drive way and I finally let myself relax.

I sigh softly to myself and unlock the door, stepping inside quietly. It's pretty late so I doubt anyone is awake. I make my way upstairs and towards my room and open the door. I throw my things on my bed and make my way into the bathroom, desperate for a shower. I turn the shower on and strip my clothes off, throwing them into the hamper. I step into the shower and let the scolding hot water cascade over my face and body.

I was a virgin.

I can't tell if I'm crying anymore because I'm now standing directly under the water with my eyes shut.

It took sex for him to actually be nice to me and make me feel loved.

_Is that all I'm good for? _

Review.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the character from Twilight.

Author's Note: A lot of people are confused about Bella's actions with Jasper, so I'll clarify. Bella's in a really dark place. She's extremely insecure and lonely. And high as fuck. Do to those things she doesn't always make the greatest decisions. But in the end they'll make her stronger and wiser.

Review.

_Oh_ _my fucking God. Does this women ever shut the hell up?_

I roll my eyes and turn in my seat, in the back of Renee's Honda, to look out the window. I look at the seemingly endless amount of trees as she's lecturing me on the importance of promptness and obeying your parents or some shit and I can't help but roll my eyes and tune her out.

_This is how I'm spending my Saturday. Fucking A. _

Earlier this morning I was awaken to the covers being violently yanked off of me and Renee telling me to get up and get dressed. After glancing at the clock and discovering that it was 7am I kindly let her know that she should come back later. Apparently she didn't appreciate being flipped off and told to 'fuck off' too much because she proceeded to yell for Charlie. I then quickly got out of bed, not wanting to have to deal with him and the massive hang-over that I was experiencing.

_Bitch_.

So now here I am. In the back of her shitty Honda with her and Phil, who she introduced as her _boyfriend_, on the way to their apartment. I've been informed that they live in an apartment near Port Angeles, somewhere I don't visit often. I recognize the road though and I know we haven't left Forks yet. I recognize the road we're on because it's the same road Rosalie took the night before last, while we were on the way to her house which we also haven't passed yet.

Phil's been pretty quiet most of the time, letting Renee do most of the talking from the looks of it. I can't help but be amused at how whipped he seems, even though I know that's far from the truth. Renee definitely doesn't know how to pick her men. She attracts major assholes that's for sure. Phil's whole demeanor just screams asshole.

He's about 6'4 and lanky but pretty muscular. He's wearing a faded red baseball cap, a red and white plaid shirt and ripped up denim jeans with some beat up sneakers.

_Classy_. _Nice_ _choice, Renee_. I can't help but chuckle when I imagine him driving a truck with a toothpick in his mouth.

"-live with me full time." I snap my head up at that. I furrow my eyebrows and wonder if I heard her wrong. She can't possibly think that I'd ever agree to living with her, can she? I barely wanted to get in the car with her.

"Excuse me?" I ask her while making eye contact with her in the rearview mirror. I see her roll her and shake her head as she sighs.

"I said I'd like to talk to your father about you living arrangements. Possibly have you live with me full time." She says as she stops at a red light. I throw my head back and let out a laugh of disbelief.

"_That's_ not going to happen." I say with a laugh as I shake my head in amusement at this woman. She really is insane. "I'll be damned if I let the happen. I mind as well go live with a random stranger that I found on the street."

"I'm not a random stranger Isabella. I'm your mother." She says angrily and Phil places a hand on her shoulder, as if to calm her down. She takes a deep breath and I see her knuckles whiten as she tightens her grip on the steering wheel.

"Really?" I ask while cocking my head to the side, faking confusion. "So, tell me, do all mothers abandon their children or is that just you, personally?"

I fly to the other side of the seat as she suddenly swerves violently towards the side of the road and pulls to a stop, putting the car in park. I'm still trying to right myself when she jumps out the car and yanks my door open. Her hand grips my arm tightly as she snatches me out of the car and shoves me against the side of the trunk.

"Listen and listen well, Isabella, because I'm _not _going to repeat myself. I am your _mother_, dammit. _I_ gave birth to you and _I_ brought you into this world and _I_ can easily take you out." She hisses in my face while I glare heatedly at her. "I deserve _respect_. I refuse to sit there and let you blatantly disrespect me the way you just did. I don't know what your father and _Courtney_ allow, but it isn't going to fly with me. Show some _respect_ and try not to be such a _bitch_." She exclaims heatedly while shoving her pointer finger into my forehead.

I roughly shove her hand out of my face and scoff loudly.

"Respect? _Respect_? You want some fucking _respect_?" I ask incredulously while glaring at her. "Fuck you! You have to _earn_ respect, Renee. You haven't been here to earn _shit_ in _years_. And now I'm supposed give you the upmost respect, right? That's what you _deserve_, right? Fuck that. You want respect you _earn_ it. But quite frankly I don't think you'll ever be getting that from me." I say while throwing my hands in the air and letting them smack down loudly against my thighs. At this point Phil had gotten out of the car and moved to stand beside Renee who was now glaring at me with tears streaming silently down her face. I couldn't find it in me to feel sorry for either. I take a deep breath and run my hands through my hair.

"I feel like you I don't know who you are anymore, Bella." She states quietly while looking at me, as if the change that she thinks occurred could be seen physically. I scoff.

"I grew up." I state simply. "You weren't here and I grew up. Without you. If you don't like what I've become then _you're_ to blame too. Not just Charlie but you too. You could've made a big difference, ya know? But you didn't because you didn't _care_. You didn't care enough to stay and work it out. You just _left_. Wanna know who I am _now_? Hmm?" I ask her while I step closer to her, so close that our noses are almost touching.

"Too late." I whisper to her with tears in my eyes as I step back and cover my face with my hands.

I can't deal with her right now. With this right now. I'm not ready. She contributed to the fucked up person that I've become and I can't help but _hate_ her. I can't help but _hate_ everyone. I can't help but hate _myself_. I can see myself starting to go down this dark path and I don't know how to turn back. I need help, a light in the darkness to guide me in the right direction. But at this point all I can see is darkness.

"Can we just get back into the car and talk about this at home?" Phil says angrily while Renee looks at me exasperatedly. I scoff at the word 'home' and cross my arms.

"I'm not going anywhere with you two. I want to go home." I say, running my hands through my hair.

"Don't do this right now, Isabella. Listen to your mother." He says while leading Renee towards the passenger side.

I merely scoff at the nerve of this man trying to tell me what to do, and turn on my heel and begin to walk in the opposite direction.

_I don't need to deal with this bullshit. I can't._

I manage to get pretty far before I feel Phil's rough hand grab my forearm and spin me around.

"Listen here, your mother is in the car _crying_. She's trying Isabella she really is. This bitchy attitude of yours isn't going to fly with either of us. So drop it and go get your ass back into the car." He says irritably while I try to pull out of his grip, causing him to tighten it more.

_Who the fuck does he think he is?_

"I'll scream." I warn him and he merely scoffs and tightens his grip more.

"Get in the car." He exclaims angrily.

"I'm not going anywhere with either of you." I state defiantly. He shrugs and picks me up by my waist, holding me so that my body is horizontal with the ground and the front of my body is facing the road. I start screaming and struggling, which only causes him to tighten his grip and begin to walk towards the car.

_Why the fuck isn't Renee stopping him?_

"Get off of me, asshole!" I yell as I try to get out of his grip. I feel tears of frustration begin to make their way down my face. I can't stand that I cry when I'm angry or frustrated, it makes me seem weak.

I continue to struggle and scream at him angrily as I hear a car come to a screeching halt next to us and a car door slamming shut. I can't see do to the tears in my eyes but I can make out blonde hair and a tall feminine figure. I hear her heels click towards us and the sound of her jewelry clinking.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" I hear an angry but familiar voice ask.

_Rosalie_.

"Mind your business, lady." Phil say indifferently as he continues to make his way back to the car with me on his hip.

"Get the _fuck_ off of me." I cry out angrily and I can hear my voice crack slightly. I lash out with my fist and manage to hit him _directly_ in the balls.

_Score_.

He promptly drops me roughly onto the ground and I quickly get up and move away from him. He recovers quickly and moves looks at me, looking angry and impatient. He moves to grab me again but is stopped when Rosalie steps in between us and roughly pushes his arm away, effectively blocking me from him. Out of the corner of my eye I can see Renee exiting the car. I turn my head towards her to see if she's coming over here but she merely stands next to the car and watches the interaction cautiously.

_Oh, so now you get out of the car? Not when your boyfriend is manhandling me?_

"Excuse me? Can I help you?" Phil asks Rosalie rather rudely, which Rosalie completely ignores as she turns towards me with a deathly serious expression on her face.

"Go get in the car, Bella." Rosalie says and I don't argue, her tone and expression leaving no room for argument. Not that I want to. I quickly make my way over to her black Range Rover and hop into the passenger seat. I roll down my window to hear the argument undoubtedly about to take place outside.

"How dare you? How dare you put your hands on her?" Rosalie asks incredulously while glaring coolly at Phil.

"I doubt that this is any of your business." Phil says heatedly while gesturing for me to get out of the car through the window.

"Bella is definitely my business and you manhandling her _really_ doesn't sit well with me. So I'm going to take her with me." Rosalie says calmly, but I can hear the underlying anger in her voice. She shakes her head disbelievingly with a chuckle when Phil goes to protest and she quickly cuts him off. "Yeah. Okay, let me put it this way. I swear to God if I _ever_ see you put your hands on her again we are going to have a serious problem." She says heatedly. And with that she turns around, blonde hair swinging behind her, and struts towards the car. She hops into the driver's seat, puts the car in drive and pulls off angrily.

"Who was that?" She asks me, and I can still hear the anger in her voice. I sigh heavily and run my hands over my face.

"That was Phil. My mother's boyfriend." I reply while turning in my seat to face her.

"Was that your mother by the car?" She asks and I nod my head in response. "She just sat there and let him manhandle you like that? I don't like it. I don't like it at all." She say heatedly. Without thinking I reach over and grab one of her hands off of the steering wheel, not liking seeing her so upset. She looks over at me with a small and gives my hand a squeeze, placing a connected hands on top of the console.

"Are you okay?" she asks gently while her eyes quickly rake over my body, obviously looking for any injuries.

"I'm okay." I confirm as I shift uncomfortably under her gaze. She finally seems satisfied that I'm not hurt and she looks back at the road.

"What are you doing out here?" I ask in confusion. She chuckles and steps on the gas when the light turns green.

"Well I kind of live out here." She says teasingly. "But, no, I'm on my way home from my good friend, Emmett's house." She replies while stopping at a red light.

_Emmett?_

"Do you want me to take you home, sweetheart?" She asks while glancing at me worriedly.

"No, can we just… drive?" I ask, really wanting to spend time with her. Her presence is intoxicating, making me forget about all the horrible things going on in my life.

"Sure, sweetheart." She says while smiling gently at me and then turning back towards the road.

I take a second to take in her outfit. She's wearing a striped blue and white 'boyfriend' button up, skin tight light wash denim jeans, and black pumps.

_God she looks good. _

I'm not blind or dumb, I'm aware that Rosalie is extremely attractive. I'm also very aware of the huge crush that I happen to have on her. It doesn't really bother me because I've convinced myself that everyone has crushes on at least one of their teachers. The circumstances aren't usually the same but I'm determined to not let it get in the way of the quickly forming sort of… friendship? between us.

"See something you like?" Her playful voice snaps me out of my trance and I blush, embarrassed at being caught staring at her. I look up at her and she winks before laughing to herself.

_Is she flirting with me?_

Before I can respond to her question she pushes play on the stereo and the sound of 'Mirrors' by Justin Timberlake fills the car.

Rosalie takes one hand off of the wheel and raises it in the air, snapping it to the beat. She begins to dance in her seat as she sings along loudly to the song. I laugh loudly at her antics, loving how playful and care free she is.

_Cause I don't wanna lose now,_

_I'm lookin' right at the other half of me._

_The vacancy that sat in my heart,_

_Is a space that you now hold._

_Show me how to fight for now,_

_And I'll tell you baby, it was easy._

I continue laughing loudly as Rosalie dances and sings along animatedly to the song. I love how carefree and comfortable with me she seems in that moment. She continues like this for the rest of the song before she breaks out into hysterical laughter, me joining in a few seconds later.

"Can I show you something?" she asks while looking at me out of the corner of her eye, smiling when I nod.

We drive for a few more miles before she pulls off the road and onto a dirt road the leads us into the woods. I look around at the scenery and wonder where we could possibly be going in the middle of the woods.

Eventually we pull into a gorgeous clearing and Rosalie exits the car, gesturing for me to follow her. I get out of the car and follow Rosalie to the middle of the clearing, all the while taking in the beauty around me. Rosalie sits in the middle of the clearing and I follow her lead plopping down next to her. I sigh and bring my knees up rest my face on them, facing Rosalie. I grab my hair and throw it over my shoulder to prevent it from getting in my face. She smiles at me before her eyes drift to my neck and she furrows her eyebrows.

"Is that a hickey?" She asks and there's something in her voice when she says that that I can't quite put my finger on. My hand quickly shoots up to my neck, blindly trying to cover the hickey that I forgot was there. Another painful reminder of my mistake.

"Yeah." I whisper as I avoid her gaze, feeling very ashamed of what I did with Jasper.

"Who gave it to you?" she asks and her voice is almost... hard? I shrug my shoulders and continue to avoid her gaze. "You don't know? I _highly_ doubt that." She continues when I don't answer. "Talk to me, sweetheart." She says while stroking my hair gently.

"I had sex with Jasper." I say quietly and before she can say anything. I continue quickly before I lose my nerve. "I was feeling bad about myself and I was high and drunk and I just… He was there. I was so overwhelmed and I thought maybe he could give me what I was looking for."

"What is it that you were looking for?" she asks gently while scooting closer and resting her head on top of mine while wrapping her arms around me.

I hesitate slightly before I whisper, "Someone to love me." Her grip tightens slightly on me and I hear her sigh.

"Did you find that?"

"No," I whisper quietly into her chest. "He treated me like _shit _on a regular basis, I _knew_ that… I just… I don't know what I was thinking but he _wanted_ me. No one else did." I say quietly as I feel tears starting to form in my eyes. She doesn't say anything, she just kisses my forehead and lets me continue. "I was a virgin… I feel really… empty now. Emptier than before. Like someone reached inside of me and scooped the rest of my insides out. I want to feel whole for once… I'm really sad all the time."

"I know." Is all she says as she hugs me as I begin to cry into her chest, feeling safe in her arms.

I kind of don't like this chapter but whatever. Review.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

Author's Note: This story is going to get darker before it gets lighter. You've been warned. And just know that there will be sex. Lots of sex. Graphic sex so… yeah. There's also a few week time skip in the beginning of this chapter.

We sit in the middle of the clearing that we've started to come to on a regular basis now over the past few weeks, me just lying in Rosalie's arms. Ever since that day a few weeks ago when she brought me here, this place has become our little safe haven. If I'm having a bad day or if I just want to spend time with her and get away or vice versa, we come here and lay in the clearing, sometimes we talk and sometimes we just sit here in a comfortable, much needed silence.

I finally pull back and give her a gentle smile. She reaches forward and pushes the fallen hairs out of my face and her hand lingers for a moment. I smile gently at her and lean into her hand, feeling much closer to her in the past few weeks than I ever have with anyone else.

"I like this." I say breaking the comfortable silence that we've been sitting in. I lay my head in her lap and she begin to run her hands through my hair, playing with the long strands.

"What?" She says while looking around the clearing, seemingly taking in the scenery.

"Whatever it is that we are becoming." I say shyly, not used to expressing my feelings. "I like being around you. I just like knowing that someone is there. Even if I am just a student to you."

"You aren't just a student to me, Bella, you know that. Far from it. I like to think of you as my friend." Rosalie says uncertainly, as if waiting for me to object, before continuing hesitantly, something I never thought I'd see from the usually confident blonde. "Believe it or not I don't really have many friends. A lot of people are intimidated by me… I'm not the warmest person or the best at letting people in. It drives people away."

"Well that's news to me." I say gently as I shift so that I'm looking up at her. I could hear the sadness in her voice when she said that, no matter how faint it was still there. "I'm not going anywhere."

She just smiles at me and continues to run her hands through my hair.

Maybe we both just needed someone.

We make our way to the car and drive towards my house in a comfortable silence. There's something different about our relationship now and I think we can both feel it. I can see that she's more relaxed around me, not that she wasn't before, but now it's just different. Whatever the change is, I think it will be good for the both of us.

As we make our way up my driveway, I spot Renee and Phil's car parked outside of the garage. I feel the dread start to rise and I sigh loudly in exasperation while running my hands through my hair. I _really_ don't want to deal with their shit right now. Or ever. I wonder why Renee is working so hard now, when I'm eighteen, a legal _adult, _to try and repair our broken relationship. Like seriously? You're really coming back to parent and raise your now _adult_ daughter? Nice. That sounds like it will go over perfectly. She's been coming over every other day for the past few weeks and drama always ensues between her and Courtney. I'm starting to think that now she's not even coming to see me, but to argue with Courtney.

Rosalie comes to a stop right behind their car and I unbuckle my seatbelt slowly and just sit there.

"Welp." I say, popping the 'p'. "Time to face the music."

"Call me if anything happens. I'll come and get you." She say seriously while eyeing the front door, as if one of them will come barging out at any second.

"I do have a car you know." I say teasingly as I open the car door and slip out. I begin to walk towards the house and I can hear the window rolling down.

"Bye, smartass." I hear her call out as she turns her car around and pulls off down the driveway with a honk of her horn. I roll my eyes and walk up the stairs to my house, pushing the door open.

I enter the house and I can already hear raised voices coming from the living room.

_Looks like they started the party without me this time._

I huff and grudgingly make my way towards the living room. Better get this over with.

"-she's not your daughter!"

"Oh please! At least I've been here!" I hear Courtney retort heatedly as I walk into the living room and take in the scene in front of me.

Courtney and Renee are standing across from each other engaged in a heated screaming match. Both are red in the face and you can almost see the anger rolling off of them in waves. Phil and my dad are both standing in between them, each holding their respective partner back. Both my dad and Phil looked equally frustrated, obviously at the situation taking place. I awkwardly clear my throat to alert them of my presence and instantly everyone's eyes snap towards me.

"Where the hell were you?!" Renee yells shrilly while taking a few steps towards me, obviously trying to intimidate me. Yeah, it's not working.

"Out." I say simply as I turn towards Courtney and my dad. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything's fine, Bella. Your mother and Phil were just leaving." Courtney says while walking towards me and placing her hand on my shoulder, which I surprisingly don't push off. I can sense the tension and exhaustion in her voice and I can tell she's trying to keep my out of this, which I _really_ don't mind. She's trying to shield me from my mother's stupidity. "Why don't you go upstairs to your room and I'll be up in a bit. Yeah?"

Before I can answer Renee interrupts rudely. And loudly.

"Who in the world do you think you are?! Holly fucking Home Maker?!" she yells as she walks towards Courtney and shoves her hand off of my shoulder. I unconsciously step in between the two, feeling the need to protect Courtney against _my_ asshole of a mother.

"Don't touch her!" I say heatedly as I glare at Renee.

"Bella, honey it's fine. _Please_ just go upstairs, your father and I will deal with this." Courtney say and I can feel her hand on my back, rubbing softly. In that moment I don't think I've ever been more grateful to have Courtney around.

Before I can go upstairs Renee is blocking my path to the stairs. I try and go around her but she steps to the side, intercepting my path again.

"Go and pack a bag, Bella. You're coming to stay whit Phil and I for a while." She says while crossing her arms and glaring at Courtney over my shoulder.

"No, you aren't, Bella. Just go upstairs honey." Courtney says before I can respond to Renee. I nod my head and try and walk upstairs, really not wanting to be in the middle of all of this drama.

"Don't tell _my_ daughter what to do." Renee exclaims while grabbing my arm, effectively preventing me from escaping this situation. Great.

"Oh my god, do you realize how childish you sound, Renee?!" I say incredulously while yanking my arm out of her grasp. "I'm not a possession. I'm a person. A human being with feelings and opinions of her own. I want to stay here with dad and Courtney. End of story."

I turn around and quickly run up the stairs to my room. I shut the door behind me and lean against it briefly, gathering my thoughts. I can hear the argument downstairs still happening, but I honestly don't care anymore. I pull my phone out of my back pocket to check my messages only to find that it's dead. I run over to my bed and jump on, plugging my phone into the charger and turning it on. I feel the sleepiness start to take over my body and I can't help but lay down and take a nap.

I awake a few hours later to the sound of my found vibrating, signaling that I have new messages. I reach over and grab it and look at my notifications.

_3_ _new messages_.

_1 missed call._

I check my messages first since there's more and I'm not surprised to find two messages from Jasper.

_Hey_, _you_ _wanna do_ _something today?_

_I miss you._

I sigh loudly and dramatically as I throw myself backwards onto my bed when I see that the missed call is also from him. This has been going on for a few weeks now. I dodge him at school and after school, I pretend I'm not home when he comes to my house and I always stay after class in Math to talk with Rosalie about 'homework' so that he won't approach me.

I talked to Rosalie about it and she thinks that I should stop avoiding him and explain to him how I'm feeling. She thinks that he has feelings for me and I should tell him how I'm feeling instead of 'leading him on'. Always the sensible one.

I think I gave Jasper the wrong idea by sleeping with him. It was a moment of weakness for me, but I'm starting to think that maybe it meant more to him. I definitely don't want to date him, but maybe he thinks I do. I mean that's usually what people think after having sex with someone, right? I almost feel guilty now, like I used him sort of. He was there and he was willing. Does that make me the asshole now? I mean he definitely didn't say no, but maybe there was a reason for that. I mean I'm not stupid I knew that he wanted me, but maybe it goes deeper than that. I feel like maybe he actually has feelings for me under all those layers of asshole and now I'm starting to regret sleeping with him.

I sigh and check the other message, which is from Rosalie.

_Call me. _

That's all the text from Rosalie says. It doesn't say anything important, yet it sets off the butterflies in my stomach. The crush I have on her is turning into something more intense and I won't lie and say I'm not afraid that it will ruin our new found relationship.

I furrow my eyebrows in confusion at the text. Is something wrong? Immediately scroll through my contacts and press the call button by her name. It rings twice before she answers.

"Hi." Is all she says and I raise an eyebrow at how… off she sounds.

"Umm… hi?" I say while furrowing my eyebrows. I mean she was the one who told me to call her, yet all she has to say is 'Hi'? Nice.

"I think we need to talk." She says hesitantly and I feel my heart skip a beat in fear. Is she going to tell me that we can't be friends anymore? Is she aware of my feelings for her? Is she tired of me? All these thoughts run through my head as I wait for her to continue.

"Okay." I say as I wait for her to tell me what's bothering her.

"In person." She says and I can almost see her rubbing her temple, something I've noticed her doing when she's stressed.

"I'll be over in a bit." I say already getting up to throw some shoes on.

"Okay." I hear her say quietly. "I'll see you when you get here, sweetheart."

"Bye."

I hang up the phone and make my way to my closet. I grab the first pair of shoes that I see, which happen to be brown moccasins and grab a pair of socks to with them. I'm already in grey PINK yoga pants and a black OBEY sweat shirt so I just throw my hair up into a messy bun, grab my wallet and keys and leave my room. I walk down the stairs and into the garage, hopping into my car. Both Courtney and my father's cars are gone so I assume that they're not home. I briefly glance at the clock on the dashboard and see that it's 9:30.

I pull out of the garage and down the driveway, taking off in the direction of Rosalie's house. As I drive I can't help but wonder what it is she wants to talk to me about. My mind is creating the worst possible case scenarios and by the time I reach the outside of her building I'm on the verge of a major anxiety attack. I put the car in par and take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down.

I exit the car and make my way towards the doors, my mind running a mile a minute. I enter the elevator and take out my phone while pushing the PH button, I press the call button by Rosalie's name. She answers on the third ring.

"Hey, I'm in the elevator let me up." I say and she quickly agrees before hanging up. The elevator begins to move, so I assume she did what I asked. The elevator doors open and Rosalie is standing right in front of them with a gentle small smile on her face. She's wearing tiny pink silk pajama shorts and a camisole to match. I unconsciously let my eyes rake over her form quickly before stepping out of the elevator to give her a quick hug. She hugs me tightly, almost desperately, before pulling back and letting me go. She stares at me with hesitant eyes before turning around and walking towards the living room, beckoning for me to follow. I furrow my eyebrows and grow more concerned as I place my phone and keys on the counter before following her into the living room and taking a seat next to her on the couch.

I turn towards her and look at her expectantly as she wrings her hands together in her lap, her whole demeanor is so out of character for her which only serves to make me even more concerned. Before I can ask her what's going on she begins to speak.

"I'm so sorry." She states brokenly and continues before I can interrupt to ask what about. "Over this past month that I've known you, we've become really close. I care about you so much, you know that right?" She asks while grabbing both of my hands and placing them in her lap, playing with them.

"Yeah, of course. What's going on, Rose?" I ask in concern, scooting closer when I see her eyes fill with tear, which she quickly wipes away.

"I think you're absolutely amazing, Bella. I think you're beautiful, and sweet, and kind, and funny. Just all around amazing and I really don't want to lose you." She says and takes a deep breath before continuing. "I really… really hope that this goes the way that I want it to." She mutters before letting out a broken sob. I immediately move closer to her and pull her into a hug, which she returns with fever as if I would disappear any second.

"I think I'm in love with you." She mutters into my chest so quietly that I almost miss it. But I don't miss it. I hear it perfectly, as if she screamed it in my ear. My heart skips a beat and I'm at a loss for words.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." She continues brokenly. "I thought that maybe if I tried to ignore it, it would go away. I mean I'm your teacher for crying out loud, you trusted me to be your role model and someone you can trust but I-" She interrupted by my lips crashing against hers with a fever that I almost didn't know I had. I lay back onto the couch, pulling her with me so that she's laying on me and continue kissing her with everything I have.

Review.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

Kissing Rosalie is like nothing I've ever felt before. The butterflies in my stomach are swarming and I feel like my entire body is on fire, ignited by none other than Rosalie Hale. I can't believe that this is happening or that Rosalie is even real. That any of this is real. She's so beautiful and intelligent and amazing and down to earth and yet she wants _me_. And she's falling in love with _me_. Me, Bella Swan. Her _student_. Her student with a million and one problems and issues. Rosalie's weight on top of mine is the only thing reassuring me that this isn't a dream.

I feel Rosalie gently nip my bottom lip, requesting entrance and I immediately open my mouth and grant her entrance, moaning at how amazing her tongue feels massaging mine. I run my hands down Rosalie's back, cupping her amazing ass firmly and squeezing, and Rosalie moans above her. Rosalie begins to rock her hips into mine firmly and I gasp at the amazing sensation.

I can barely think straight as her lips attach to my neck and begin to suck sensually. Between her rocking hips and her amazing full lips on my neck I can barely remember to breath. I've never been so turned on.

"_Fuck_." I moan as a particularly strong thrust from Rosalie sends bolts of pleasure straight through my core.

She sits up, still grinding into my hips while she flips her long, luscious blonde mane out of her face, and I can't help but stare in awe at her. Her full pink lips are swollen from kissing me, her hair is mussed from my hands grabbing it earlier, and her once bright electric blue eyes are now a dark navy blue, heavy with desire. I can feel her burning need for me through her thin silk pajama bottoms and I feel a shiver run through me, knowing that _I_ have that effect on this goddess who is straddling me and grinding down into me seductively is incredibly arousing.

"I really want you right now, Bella." She says and her breath has now taken on this incredibly sexy breathy tone that I've never heard from her before. It's _incredibly_ erotic. "We need to- _Oh_ _God_." She gets cut off by an incredibly sexy breathy moan that breaks free from her throat when I grab her hips and grind her core down into mine, pushing my hips up forcefully.

"Babe?" I suddenly here a masculine voice call out from the front hallway, causing both me and Rosalie to jump in alarm, followed by the sound of the elevator doors closing. I hear Riley bark and run towards the door from wherever she was in the house.

_Babe?_

"_Shit_." Rosalie hisses as she jumps off of me and begins to fix herself. I sit up in alarm and confusion and stare at Rosalie as she runs her hands through her hair and fixes her clothes. I soon follow suit as I hear the heavy footsteps getting closer.

"Who is that, Rosalie?" I ask her in confusion as she runs her hands through her hair and pulls down her previously hiked up shorts.

Before she can open her mouth to answer me a tall, handsome masculine man enters the living room and looks between Rosalie and I in confusion, Riley hot on his heels. He has dark brown curly hair and he was extremely muscular. He's wearing worn out looking jeans and fitted a _Nike_ _Pro_ muscle shirt.

He smiles at us in confusion and before making his way over to Rosalie, kissing her on the cheek and hugging her tightly, swinging her around in a circle. Rosalie laughs heartily and swats him lightly on the shoulder, willing him to put her down.

_Who_ _the fuck is this guy?_

I feel the jealousy and discomfort rise up as I fidget awkwardly on the couch, suddenly feeling small and unwanted as they joke around and greet each other, neither acknowledging me in the slightest. Riley comes over to me, seemingly sensing my discomfort, and lays her head in my lap and I run my hands lovingly through her fur.

"Oh! Emmett, this is Bella." She say with a laugh as though she just now remembered I was here. I bite my lip and wave half-heartedly at him. He smiles almost knowingly at her and then turns his head to me and smiles a dimpled smile while waving at me.

"Bella, this is Emmett, my best friend." She says while hanging onto his torso and smiling up at him with admiration written all over her face.

I watch this display with interest and jealousy coursing through my veins. Anyone can clearly see how close the two are and I briefly wonder how deep their friendship goes. It always amazes me when I see friends, whether at school or on the streets, interact with each other. I, personally, have never had the experience of a real close friend. The only friends I've ever had had used me for money and my beauty. Except one time in kindergarten when a girl as equally shy as me named Lucy shared her crayons with me when the other kids wouldn't. A week later she and I were best friends. We did everything together until she moved away the summer after first grade and I never saw her again. I cried all summer and refused to leave to house and play with the other kids, which made me an outcast the next year in second grade. It really is my only friendship experience, based on the sharing of crayons yes, but it was the most genuine friendship I'd ever had. I miss that about childhood. Not having to worry about the underlying intentions of someone wanting to be your friend, actually believing them when they say that they like you for your pigtails or your finger painting. Not for your money or sex or anything horrible. Just the simple things.

But that's just it. It isn't about the simple things anymore. I had to learn that the hard way. I had to realize that everyone wasn't my friend eventually, after lots and lots of betrayal and hurt. Now I know. I know that rarely are anyone's intentions are ever pure. Hence my obvious trust issues.

I look over to where Rosalie and Emmett are now sitting and talking animatedly and I can't help but deflate slightly when I notice their close proximity and the way Emmett's hand is resting on her thigh. Rosalie isn't removing it either.

Does she have feelings for him? Does she think it will be easier with him? I mean _he_ isn't her student. _He_ looks pretty happy-fucking-go-lucky over there, like he doesn't have an absent mother and an alcoholic dad or low self-esteem and trust issues.

_But she just told me she loved me_.

I suddenly stand, Riley whines at the loss of contact but stays put, and make my way towards the kitchen, deciding that it's time for me to leave. I need to gather my thoughts and I can't do that with Rosalie and Emmett right across from me.

"Bella?" I hear Rosalie call after me as I hastily grab my phone and keys off the kitchen counter, where I had left them when I entered a few hours earlier.

I jump when I feel her hand on the small of my back and turn around to face her. Her face is twisted in confusion as she takes in the car keys in my hand.

"You're leaving?" She asks almost… sadly? I nod my head and run my hand through my hair as I sigh and try to think of a convincingly lie.

"Um… yeah I just remembered that I have this big paper coming up and it's Saturday and I haven't even started so…" I trailed of suggestively while taking a step back towards the elevator, causing her to take a step towards me.

_For someone who was completely ignoring me a few minutes ago she sure wants to be close to me._

"Oh… okay." She says with a small smile and a hesitant nod of her head. She looks thoughtful for a moment before speaking again. "We need to talk about what happened earlier eventually."

"I know." I say quietly while looking down at my phone to avoid looking at her. There's a beat of silence before I break it by sighing loudly and pressing the button on the elevator. "I should really get going."

I turn around and enter the elevator hastily and wave at Rosalie as the doors close, catching a glimpse of her hurt face right before the doors shut. I instantly feel like an asshole for my hasty exit and lies to Rosalie, but that feeling quickly disappears when I recall her earlier interactions with Emmett and treatment of me when he was around. Deep down I know I'm being childish, but my amazingly low self-esteem is overriding that. It definitely took a few blows in that situation.

This goes a lot deeper than the situation that just happened with Rosalie and I know that. I know that my self-esteem has always been an issue that I've dealt with. I've never felt worthy of anyone and I can honestly say that I don't see the beauty that I desperately wish to see in myself. I want to feel beautiful, so bad. Sometimes I stand in front of the mirror for _hours_, willing my reflection to change. Crying when it didn't.

But no one knows that. I don't think anyone knows how depressed I really am. How deep it really goes.

I sigh loudly and enter my car, pulling out of the parking lot with a screech of my tires. I speed through all the back roads of Forks with no particular direction in mind as my favorite playlist plays loudly from my speakers. Right now '_The A-Team'_ by Ed Sheeran. The strumming of the guitar and the song is incredibly soothing and I find myself relaxing as the song continues to play loudly. I notice my phone flashing on the console and I see that Rosalie is calling me. I press ignore.

'_Cause we're just under the upper hand._

_And go mad for a couple grams._

_And she don't wanna go outside to-night._

_And in a pipe she flies to the Motherland._

_Or sell love to another man._

_It's too co-ld outside, for angels to fly._

I reach over and put the song on repeat, deciding that this is the only thing I want to hear for the rest of the night. I let myself relax and just _listen_ to the lyrics. It's about a girl just trying to make it. She's on the drugs and she's selling herself to men. And the people around her are starting to notice how sad she looks. She feels like giving up. She overdoses and kills herself.

This song always gets to me. I've felt like giving up so many times, but yet here I am. Still here. And sometimes I really don't want to be. That scares me.

Eventually, after an hour of driving around gathering my thoughts, I decide to head home and I begin to drive home. I see my phone flashing again, this time with a missed text message from Rosalie. I decide that I'll check it when I get home, having seen too many drunk driving commercials.

I pull into the garage and I only see Charlie's car in the garage as I exit the car.

_Where's Courtney?_

I frown as I take in my step-mothers absence. Over the past few weeks we've steadily been forming a closer relationship. I've realized that she isn't completely horrible and decided to give her a chance. She's usually hear by 6 on Saturday's and considering the fact that it's 12:30, it's strange that she isn't here.

I enter the house and I'm greeted by the sound of the TV going in the living room. I pass it off as Charlie watching sports as usual and walk into the kitchen, plopping into one of the bar stools at the island. I pull out my phone, deciding to text Courtney.

_Hey, where are you? I just got in and you aren't here._

I then go to open Rosalie's text message from about twenty minutes ago.

_Please call me when you_ _get home,_ _sweetheart. You didn't answer my call. I'm_ _worried, call me. Xo._

I sigh and begin to walk up to my room, intent on calling Rosalie and assure her that I'm not dead.

I turn the corner, while staring at my phone, and run into someone. I scream loudly and fall onto the floor while backing up and clutching my phone to my chest. I look up and see Charlie standing there with a blank expression, looking down on me as if trying to figure out what on earth I'm doing on the floor. His eyes are bloodshot and he has a glass full of dark brown liquid in his hand.

_Shit. He's drunk._

My phone vibrates in my hands and I look down at it, seeing Courtney's message flashing on the screen.

_Sorry, hon. I was stuck at the office. I'm on my way now._

I sigh and pick myself up off of the floor, sticking my phone into the waistband of my yoga pants. I go to walk around my dad, but he just side steps so that he's in front of me. I go to walk around him again, only to have the same results. I'm starting to get nervous as my dad stares at me intensely. He still has yet to say anything and it's honestly the creepiest thing I've ever experienced.

"Move, dad." I say firmly.

Before I can comprehend what's happening, his hand flashes out and grasps me by my hair. I scream out in pain and surprise and stare at him in absolute shock. His eyes are faraway, yes he's looking at me but I don't think he's really seeing me. He yanks me closer, causing me to cry out, so that I'm in his face and he just _stares_ at me.

He then tosses me to the floor and I land on my right hip. _Hard_.

I cry out in pain and my eyes fill with tears as he walks closer to me and just stands over me with that blank look on his face, studying me again.

"Stop." I cry out pitifully and let the tears fall down my face. His only response is to bring his right foot down onto the left side of my torso with an incredible force. A scream escapes my lips and he just _stands_ _there_. My head is spinning and all I can feel is the pain in my side.

A hear a shriek and look up to find Courtney standing in the doorway with a look of horror and anger on her face. She quickly drops her brief case and rushes to my side, sinking to her knees beside me. Charlie just looks down on the both of us before turning around and walking towards the other side of the kitchen.

"Bella? Oh my God. Are you alright, honey?" She asks me urgently before turning her attention to Charlie, who is now rummaging through the liquor cabinet. "For fuck's sake, Charlie! What the hell? Are you crazy?" He doesn't respond. He just grabs a bottle of liquor and walks past us without a word, presumably going back to the living room.

I sit up slowly, ignoring the searing pain in my side and try to stand. Courtney's hands on my upper arms, I'm pretty sure, are the only things supporting me. I finally manage to stand on my own and I turn to Courtney.

"Can you help me upstairs?" I ask her pleadingly. I just really want to go upstairs into the safety of my room. What just happened sunk and in fast and to say I'm pretty shaken up is a huge understatement.

Courtney obliges and after about ten minutes and a lot of pain on my part, I'm lying in my bed with Courtney sitting next to me stroking my hair lovingly.

"What happened?" She asks finally, a question I know she's been dying to ask ever since she found dad and me in the kitchen.

"I don't know." I say quietly. "He just… snapped. I don't know who that man was downstairs a while ago, but that's _not_ my dad. Please don't go back down there, just… wait until he's sober. _Please_."

"Alright. Okay." She tries to soothe me as I start to breathe and the tears begin to fall. "Just get some sleep, yeah?"

I nod my head, knowing full well that I'm not going to be able to fall asleep. She hesitates slightly before leaning down and kisses my forehead. She rises off of the bed and walks towards the door. Halfway out of the door she calls out, "Goodnight." Before closing the door.

I sigh and slowly turn over onto my back, being mindful of the pain in my side and my hip. I feel my phone begin to vibrate from its place in the waistband of my pants. I reach down and grab it, only to see Rosalie's name on the screen, signaling that she's calling me. I press answer, knowing that I need to hear her voice.

"Hey." I say quietly, my voice slightly hoarse from screaming. I hear her let out a heavy breath on the other side of the line.

"Thank God." She starts off in a relieved voice. "Why in the world weren't you answering your phone, sweetheart? I was so worried."

"I just needed time to think. Plus I was driving." I say before clearing my throat, trying to get rid of some of the hoarseness. "I'm sorry for making you worry."

"Well you should be." She huffs and I can almost picture the playful frown residing on her face. I giggle as I snuggle down into my mountain of pillows and pull up the blanket.

"Oh of course." I say and wince at the hoarseness of my voice.

"Are you okay, babe? You sound like you've been crying." Her tone is worried.

"Babe?" I question playfully.

There's a brief pause before she answers slowly, as if choosing her words wisely.

"Do you want to do this, Bella? Because I'm ready to try this, one hundred percent, but I can't jump in by myself. You need to be sure too."

I suddenly realize that she is serious about this. About us. Rosalie wants to be with me. I don't know why but who am I to question it?

I can't help the huge smile from taking over my face as I let this information sink in.

"I want this." I say strongly. And I mean it.

"Good." She says almost disbelievingly, as if she wasn't expecting me to be completely for this. I can almost see the huge smile that I hear in her voice plastered onto her gorgeous face right now.

I yawn hugely and hiss when it sends a pain shooting through my side.

"What the matter, babe?" I hear her ask concernedly.

"Uh… Nothing." I lie and I feel horrible lying to her.

"Cut it. I know when you're lying Bella. What happened?" She asks firmly. I sigh and look up to the ceiling wondering whether or not I should tell her.

"Can I tell you tomorrow? I'm really tired… both physically and emotionally and I just… not right now, okay?"

She sighs loudly and I can almost see her rolling her eyes.

"Okay. Goodnight, babe."

"Goodnight, Rose."

Neither of us hang up. I just close my eyes and let myself listen to the sound of Rosalie's breathing, lulling me to sleep.

Review.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

When I awake the next morning, the first thing I notice is the unbelievable pain on the left side of my torso. I also realize that my face is resting on my phone, which is sticking to my right cheek uncomfortably. I slowly pushed myself up into a sitting position and almost collapsed back onto my bed due to the pain in my hip and side. My breath comes out in short gasps as I maneuver myself into a sitting position and lean back against my headboard. I don't think I've ever felt pain like this before and it brings tears to my eyes. I gently lift up my hoodie and gasp when I see the huge red, purple and blue bruise marring the left side of my torso. I bring my hand to it and press down gently, immediately jerking my hand back due to the horrible pain that shot through the area at my light touch.

Shit.

I grab my phone from where it is sitting next to me on my bed and check the time. I huff angrily when I see that it's 10:30 because even though it's Sunday I know that my workaholic parents are definitely at work. The pain isn't going away and I'm not dumb enough to try and handle this on my own. I need a doctor. I also know that I'm in no shape to drive anywhere. Rosalie's face immediately pops into my mind, but I quickly dismiss her as an option when I picture her reaction to my injuries. She would completely flip her shit and demand that I report him. She may even try to confront him, I wouldn't put it past her, and that puts her in danger. Not to mention our relationship, which could definitely be put at risk. Yep Rosalie is definitely out. I won't put her in that position. I can take care of this myself.  
I mentally go through a list of people that I could call. Renee and Phil's faces pop into my mind, they are both immediately ruled out also. They would probably find a way to use it against me or Courtney and dad somewhere down the line. Then another face pops into my mind and I sigh as I realize that this person is my only other option.

I pick up my phone and scroll through my contacts until I find the name I'm looking for. I hesitate slightly before pressing the call button. I press the phone to my ear and wait for them to answer. It rings a total of three times before the phone is answered.

"Hello?" I hear Jasper say in a raspy, sleep ridden voice.  
"Jasper?" I ask nervously. I hear rustling on his end of the line before he answers me.

"Bella? Hey, what's up?"

"Hey... umm... do you think you could drive me somewhere?" I say while biting my bottom lip. I'm breathing shallowly to avoid aggravating my ribs and I'm almost positive he can hear my labored breathing through the phone. "Yeah, uh sure. Where?" He asks and I can hear him moving on his side of the phone, so I assume that he's getting ready to come get me.

"The hospital." I say almost inaudibly. I hear the movement on his side of the line pause momentarily before he answers hesitantly.

"You okay?" "I'm...-" I almost say 'fine' before I realize that it wouldn't make sense. I mean he's already taking me to the hospital, what's the use in lying? "-hurt. I... fell and I need to get checked out. My parents aren't home and I can't drive like this. So, can you just give me a ride? Without an interrogation, please?" I plead desperately.

"No problem." He says simply and I can hear a door shutting in the background. "Be there in a few." He says before hanging up.  
I gently get out of bed, trying desperately to hold back the tears of pain. When I'm finally steady I slowly walk towards the bathroom, phone in hand, to fix myself up. I make my way towards the sink and place my phone on the counter top, picking up the brush out of the basket that is resting on the counter. I run it through my hair and immediately wince at how sore my scalp is. I then remember my dad roughly grabbing me by my hair last night and it makes sense. I shudder and push the memories to the back of my mind, not wanting to think about that right now. I grit my teeth and quickly brush my naturally curly hair up into a ponytail, ignoring the pain that it causes, before tying it up with the hair tie on my wrist. I quickly brush my teeth and abandon the idea of washing my face, knowing that I would have to bend over to complete that task, something my injuries definitely wouldn't agree with. I look down at my outfit, the same black OBEY hoodie and yoga pants that I wore to Rosalie's last night, and sigh, knowing that I won't be able to change due to my injuries. I grab my phone off of the counter and slowly make my way back into my room. I open my closet and sigh exasperatedly when I realize that I won't be able to put my shoes on. Im about to turn around and exit my closet when I spot my Adidas sliders in the corner of my closet. I breathe a sigh of relief and gently slide them on. I then exit my closet and sluggishly make my way towards the door, grabbing my keys off of the dresser as I pass. I almost cry in relief when I finally reach the bottom of the stairs, having struggled the entire way down. I sigh and limp towards the front door, the pain having increased with each step I took down the stairs. I open the door and step outside, biting my lip in anticipation when I notice Jasper still isn't here. I lean back onto my front door and close my eyes, silently willing Jasper to hurry up. My phone begins to ring then and I answer it without looking at the caller I.D., automatically assuming that it's Jasper.  
"Goodness Jasper, please tell me you're almost here." I say desperately, gritting my teeth as pain shoots through my hip. "Jasper? Are you two going somewhere?" I hear Rosalie's voice reply on the other line.  
Fuuuuuuuuuck.

"Ummmm... no. I just needed him to bring his part of the project over for this class we have... together." I say unconvincingly. I really do suck at lying.

"Really? What class?" She asks curiously.

"Umm... AP Lit." I say as I see Jasper's car pulling up the driveway. He beeps his horn and pulls up in front of me. "Listen, I umm... I gotta go." I say distractedly as I limp towards Jasper's car.

"Okay, sweetheart." She pauses before speaking again. "You'd never lie to me, right? You'd come to me if something was wrong?" I sighed heavily as I try and fail to enter Jasper's jeep. Sometimes lying is what's best for everyone.  
"Of course. Talk to you later." I say quickly and hang up before she could ask anymore questions. I feel absolutely terrible about lying to her, but what she doesn't know won't kill her. Jasper exits the car and walks around to my side, obviously having noticed my struggle.

"You need help?" He asks while staring at me warily, clearly looking for the hospital worthy injury that is keeping me from climbing into the car.

"Please?" I ask pathetically. "But be careful of my hip and ribs!" I add quickly, swiftly moving away when he tries to grab my hips to lift me. "Sorry. Uhh... here." He says gently placing his hands under both of my arms and lifting me into the car. I hiss when I sit on my right side and grit my teeth. Jasper shuts my door and walks around the front of his car towards the driver's side. He hops in and starts the car, backing out of my driveway.  
The drive to the hospital is spent in silence. Jasper is bopping his head to the rap music playing on the radio while I am tensely sitting in the passenger seat, on alert for bumps and pot-holes. I sigh heavily when Jasper pulls up to the Emergency Room entrance.  
"Want me to come in?" He asks, unbuckling his seat-belt and hopping out of the jeep. He reaches my side and opens the door, gently helping me down from the jeep. "No. It's fine." I say while gently shaking my head. I go to make my way towards the entrance, but Jasper's hand on my arm stops me. I turn towards him with my eyebrows furrowed, confusion obvious on my face.  
"Why haven't you returned my calls or texts?" He asks and the insecurity on his face is saddening. I know that feeling. Feeling like maybe you aren't good enough. I hate that feeling. "Did I do something? I thought that everything was fine when I dropped you off that night after..."

"Jasper..." I say gently before sighing. "Look, you're a really nice guy when you aren't around your asshole friends. Charming, funny and really laid back, but you're only like that when you aren't around your friends. Not okay. I think you need to work on that and figure out who you are before you try a relationship. Just... not a relationship with me."

He just stands there with a blank look before sighing and running his hands over his face. He looks at me sadly before slowly stepping towards me. Before I can react he leans down and kisses me softly. I stand there, shocked, until he pulls away a few moments later.

"Feel anything?" He asks with a sigh. I shake my head softly at him, knowing that he didn't either.

"Friends?" I ask softly. Jasper nods his head with a small sad smile and bops my nose gently with the side of his curled pointer finger. He walks back around to the driver's side of the jeep and hops in. I step back as he starts the car and watch as he drives off. I turn around and limp towards the entrance, which isn't all that far. I enter and limp straight towards the receptionist desk.

"Hello, how may I help you?" The lady at the desks asks in a very professional voice. "Umm... I think I may have broken my ribs and bruised my hip really bad." I say nervously. She then wordlessly hands me a stack of paperwork and I sigh, realizing that this is going to be a loooong day.  
When I finally finish the mountain of paperwork, I limp back over and hand it to the woman. A nurse then comes out with a wheelchair and I frown when I realize it's for me. I gently sit down and hiss when it irritates my right hip. The nurse then begins to push me through the hallways and I barely pay attention to where we're going. She wheels me into a large room with many beds, all separated by curtains. She moves me into a section and hands me a gown.

"Please change into this and leave your clothes there." She says while staring at me expectantly. I simply stare back. Realization crosses her face and she smiles at me apologetically. "Do you need help, honey?" I nod sheepishly.

She steps forward and gently grasps the bottom of my hoodie, skillfully maneuvering it over my head. She hisses when she sees the nasty bruise covering my left side, but doesn't comment. She then helps me out of my pants and places my hoodie and pants on a chair next to the bed. I stand there awkwardly in a matching red lace bra and pantie set, before I grab the gown and slide it on. The nurse moves around me and ties it in the back and I just know my ass is out because I can feel the breeze. Nice.

"Alright, hon. You're all set." She says while helping me into the bed. I finally get settled and watch her as she places a clipboard at the bottom of my bed. "Dr. Cullen should be in shortly. Would you like the curtains closed?"

"No thanks." I say as she walks out and leaves the curtains open.

I sigh and lean my head back against the bed, which is set up into a slightly reclining position. How did I let it get this far? How did anyone let it get this far? I feel my throat tightening and my eyes watering as I think of last night. My dad's blank face. His indifference towards my cries of pain. The brutal force he used. I've never seen him like that before and it scares me to think about what he's capable of.

"Bella?" I hear a very familiar voice ask and my heads shoots up. My eyes lock with hard electric blue ones.

"Fuck." I can't help but mutter as I take in Rosalie's hard expression. Her full red lips are pressed into a hard line and her eyebrow is arched, her electric blue eyes boring into mine. She steps into the room and calmly closes the curtain, but I can sense the underlying anger in her movements. She turns towards me and looks at me expectantly. I bite my bottom lip nervously and I notice her eyes flicker down to my lips briefly before she forces her eyes back up to mine.

"You lied to me." She states simply. I open my mouth to reply but her piercing gaze is enough to close it. "When I asked you if you'd ever lie to me AFTER you lied to me, what did you say, Isabella?"

I flinch slightly at her use of my full name before answering her quietly. "No."

"Exactly." She says simply. "And it was about something as serious as you needing to come to the HOSPITAL!" She states shrilly, almost yelling the last word.

"I'm sorry." I say pathetically, tears starting to fall down my face. When the tears begin to fall I notice her whole demeanor change when she sees them. She walks towards me with a sigh and sits next to me on the bed. Her hand comes up and gently brushes the tears from my face.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asks quietly.

"I didn't want you to overreact. I just... I thought it was best for everyone." I say quietly. "I didn't want to lie. I swear. I just thought that you'd make me report him and you'd kill him or get hurt and our relationship would be put at risk and... yeah. It's not that serious."

She sighs before leaning down and gently kissing me. I sigh into the kiss and gently nip her lip, which makes her moan and pull back slowly. "No more lying, please. Ever. I really really don't like it. At all. And I want to be able to trust the person that I'm in a relationship with. I... can't do that if you're lying to me. I don't lie to you, so please show me the same respect." She says strongly while gazing into my eyes.

"Okay. I'm sorry." I say sincerely. "But while we're on the topic of truthfulness... I think you need to know something." I say nervously while biting my bottom lip. I seriously don't know how she'll react. She leans back and nods her head. I can almost physically see her throw her guard back up. "Umm... today, after Jasper dropped me off... he kissed me."

"What?" She says emotionless.

"He caught me by surprise. Please don't be upset." I plead.

"I'm not upset." She says. "No. I'm lying. I am a upset, but not with you... It didn't mean anything, right?" She asks quietly and I realize that this is a rare moment of insecurity for Rosalie. She needs reassurance and I'm more than happy to give her that.

"It meant nothing to me. He kissed me. I didn't kiss back." I say seriously while staring into her eyes. "I want you, Rose. No one else. That's not going to change. You're incredible and I want you. I. Want. You."

Her eyes fill with tears and she nods her head at me. I pull her down towards me. I kiss her full lips tenderly and rub my thumbs lovingly up and down her neck, trying to pour all the emotions I'm feeling into the kiss. She lays her hand on my left side and I yelp loudly as pain shoots through me. She quickly yanks her hand back and pulls away from the kiss, looking at me concernedly.

"I'm so sorry. What hurts, honey?" She asks, her brow furrowed in I can answer her, my doctor walks into the room and smiles at Rose and I.

"Hello, Rose." He says and I frown confusion when she waves and smiles back. He grabs me clipboard and reads it over. "Hello, Isabella. It's nice to finally meet you." This only serves to confuse me further.

"Bella, this is my Uncle Carlisle. Mrs. Cullen's husband." She says to clarify, obviously noticing the utter confusion on my face.

"Ohhhhh. Nice to meet you." I say with a bright smile.

"Likewise. Now it says here that you have pain in your right hip and your left side. Do you mind if I take a look?" He states while walking towards me. I shake my head at him and Rosalie gets up off of the bed.

"Do you want me to step outside?" She asks and I quickly shake my head, not wanting her to leave me.

Dr. Cullen gently helps me into a sitting position and unties the back of my gown. I blush when he begins to pull it off, knowing that he and Rosalie, mostly Rosalie, will see me in my underwear. When he finally gets the gown off, I look over at Rosalie and her eyes are nowhere near my face. They're glued to my breasts for a while before I clear my throat and she looks at me with a guilty look on her face. Her eyes then fall to my left side and she gasps. I know exactly what she's seeing and I sigh softly, knowing how gross it looks. Dr. Cullen looks at both bruises closely before walking over to my left side, while Rosalie takes a seat on the edge of the chair to my left.

"I'm gonna press down on your ribs, Isabella. Tell me if you feel any pain." I nod. He presses down gently and I immediately cry out pain at the slight pressure. I let out a sob and look pleadingly at Rosalie, who looks like she's ready to punch her uncle in the face. She catches my eye and immediately grabs my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "Yeah. Those are most likely fractured." He says while moving towards my right hip.

He presses down gently and I jerk away slightly and squeeze Rosalie's hand. I whimper while he continues to feel around and Rosalie leans over and kisses my forehead, whispering words of comfort against it.

"I don't think there's anything's broken here, just some severe bruising and inflammation around the joint." He says, finally stopping his prodding. "May I ask what happened?" He asks curiously and I freeze.  
"I umm... fell down the stairs. I'm reallllly clumsy." I say with a nervous chuckle, purposely avoiding Rosalie's intense gaze that I can feel burning holes into the side of my face.

"Hmm." Is his only reply for a while as he writes things down on his clipboard. "Well I'm going to get you an X-ray, MRI, a prescription for pain killers, and possibly someone to set your ribs back into place." Both Rosalie and I sigh when he leaves the room, knowing that this is going to be a long day.

Review.  
Sorry guys ! I was on vacation. I still don't really like this chapter but whatever it's kind of crucial to the story. Also, I'm looking for a Beta. Anyone interested? If so PM me. Next chapter should be up extremely soon.


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

My PMs are being stupid so this isn't beta'd. Sorry.

After being poked, prodded, and questioned for hours on end, I feel exhuasted. In all ways possible. I've told so many lies today that if the truth wasn't constantly in the back of my mind, replaying over and over again, I'd believe them. But that's not the case. I can't believe those lies because my mind is subjecting me to every blow from last night, every cry of pain, constantly. Over and over.

It amazes me that after everything my dad has done, I still feel obligated to lie for him. Lying to the people who are trying to help me. For him. Lying to Rosalie. For him. I feel horrible and shady. I'm just as bad as him for covering it up. I can't even come up with a plausible reason for me to lie for him. The only pathetic reason I can come up with is the fact that he's my father. No matter what happens that will always be who he is to me. My father. The man who used to tuck me in when I was a little girl. The man who used to take me on fishing weekends filled late-nights and junk food. The man who used to love me.

Of course that was before alcohol became his best friend and he and Renee's marraige started to fall apart at the seams. I can't really pinpoint a specific event that started the downfall that would have a devastating chain-reaction effect on my life for the next few years. All I remember is that eventually they started fighting constantly. Screaming insults and hateful words at each other. Dad claiming that Renee is too distant. Renee screaming that he's too drunk to know what he's talking about anymore. She claims she only sticks around for 'the kid', i.e. me. Appearantly soon after that I stopped mattering too. I walked in on her packing her bags two weeks later. I cried and pleaded with her, tugging on her suitcase as she rushed to the door. There was a taxi waiting out front and dad was standing in the background, glass filled with whiskey in his hand and tears in his eyes. That's first and only time I saw my dad cry.

I begged and screamed for her to stop, tears streaming down my red face. I promised that dad would change, that we'd both try harder. That I'd try harder. Her response was 'not good enough'.

We weren't good enough. I wasn't good enough.

Everything changed after that. Dad married Courtney and she moved in. We started moving around constantly. I had no friends, always being naturally soft spoken and the depression that had overcome me since Renee left had that affect. My self-esteem was at an all time low. I felt worthless.  
Sometime within the first year my way of thinking changed. I thought that if I could become the perfect daughter that she would come back. Thin, beautiful, confident, and intelligent. I started eating less, wearing tons of make-up, throwing myself into school work, and closing myself off from everyone. I made myself miserable and lonely. In my mind those were the things that I could control. I couldn't control Renee leaving. I couldn't control Dad's drinking or his marraige to Courtney, but I could control these things. My weight. My appearance. Who I let in. All those things were in my hands and they gave me something I needed desperately. Control.

Control is something I've been lacking seriously lately. I can feel myself slipping back into old habits and I'm doing nothing to stop the regression. I need this. Control. And if eating less and hiding more is the way to obtain that than so be it.

Rosalie's hand on my back breaks me out of my thoughtful state. Rosalie gently and silently leads me out of the building after I gratefully get out of the appearantly 'hospital required' wheelchair. She's barely said a word to me since my lying spree, only addressing me when necessary and answers my questions with one worded answers. She's pissed.

I know her well enough to not address the issue until she brings it up. She's short-tempered and fierce as hell and I know better than to corner the fiery blonde. You corner her and you're going to get one of two two responses: fight or flight. She either blows up and fights tooth and nail for her side of the argument or she completely shuts down and refuses to talk about it. I, personally, have no desire to argue with Rosalie. We've never really had an argument before and I don't want to start now. I've never really been a confrontational person. Why start now?

Rosalie leads me to the passenger side of the car before carefully helping me up and into the seat of her black Range Rover. She roughly slams the car door and I let my eyes follow her as she stalks around the front of the truck. The driver's side door is roughly opened before she plops down into the driver's seat and starts the truck. The angry blonde then proceeds to peel out the parking lot. I don't comment when I eventually notice that we're heading in the direction of her place.

We pull into the parking lot and she turns kills the engine before hopping out and stalking to my side. The door is roughly opened and she waits as I unbuckle. She then grabs me, surprisingly gently considering her mood, and helps me down, letting go when she's sure I'm safely on the ground. Before I can thank her she walks off towards the entrance and I'm left wondering what I did to make so upset.

When I finally enter the lobby of the building I find Rosalie and fucking Emmett hugging enthusiastically in the middle the lobby, his hands are dangerously close to her jean clad ass and my blood boils with jealousy. They back from the hug and behin to speak animatedly, her hand resting on his bicep and an arrogant look on his arrogant face. She's blatantly flirting with someone, Emmett of all people, right in front of me and it hurts.

"How's Lily? I feel like I haven't seen her in forever!" Rosalie exclaims.

Who the hell is Lily?

"She's good. She's been asking about you. I'm actually waiting for Kate to bring her down now." He says before quickly adding, "Hey, we should get together for dinner sometime. I know Lily would love to see you."

Before Rose can respond to his obvious attempt at a date the elevator opens and a little girl exits. She's got dirty blonde hair, blue eyes and adorable dimples. She's wearing black leggings, pink UGGS and a pink Northface fleece. She's rolling a pink suitcase behind her and her face lights up when her eyes land on Rosalie. She abandons the suitcase and dashes over to Rosalie, who immediately scoops her up and hugs her tight. The kid can't be more than 5 and she's absolutely adorable.

"Well what about Daddy?" Emmett exclaims while ruffling her hair. She giggles loudly and pushes his hands away, causing both Emmett and Rosalie too laugh along with her.

It's in that moment that I realize how much the three resemble a family. A happy family. Lily gas blue eyes and dirty blonde hair. So does Rosalie. Emmett has deep dimples. So does Lily. They look great together and it hurts. It makes me feel like he has something that I don't. And he does.

"Oh!" Rosalie says suddenly turning towards me with Lily in her arms. "Lily this is Bella. Bella, Lily."

Tiny blue eyes study me and I shift uncomfortably under this child's scrutinizing gaze. She finally turns back to Rosalie with a small smile on her face.

"She's pretty. Is she a princess?" She asks curiously, causing all of us, even me, to laugh.

"She is very very pretty, but I don't know. Why don't you ask her?" Rosalie replies and I blush at her compliment. Lily turns back to me and regards me seriously.

"Are you a princess? My mommy says when I get to be a big girl that maybe I can be a princess too." She says seriously and I almost coo at how adorable she is.

"No. I'm not a princess." I say with a smile, while she pouts sadly before she quickly brightens up.

"Well you're still really pretty. Daddy says that Aunt Rose needs a pretty girl to rock her world and then maybe she won't be so uptight all the time. Are you here to rock Aunt Rose's world?" She asks innocently and my mouth falls open in shock and my face heats up in embarrassment.

"Ooooookay. Time to go, Lily!" Emmett says while hastily grabbing Lily from Rosalie, who's looking at Emmett angrily even though she is blushing profusely, clearly embarrassed and flustered.

I move towards the elevator and press the button silently. When the elevator dings and the doors open Rosalie walks towards me and distractedly hands me the keys.

"I'll be up in a second." She says and then walks back towards Emmett, who's quickly grabbing Lily's suitcase and trying to exit. I chuckle slightly as I watch her slap the back of his head before elevator doors shut. I unlock the appropriate button and the elevator begins to move. It eventually stops and the doors open, revealing Rosalie's condo to me. I limp inside and immediately head for the guest room, finally feeling the exhaustion from today. My ribs are beginning to hurt again and I know I should take my prescription soon, but I'd need to wait for Rosalie to come upstairs because they're in her purse.

The thought of Rosalie brings a wave of sadness over me because I don't know what I've done to upset her. All I know is that I just want her to hold me and tell me everything will be fine. Unfortunately it doesn't look like that will be happening anytime soon since she's decided to be stubborn. Fine. Two can play that game.

I sigh and sit on the edge of the bed just as I hear the elevator doors open and Rosalie's footsteps enter the condo. I gently and carefully sit back against the headboard before crossing my legs and taking out my phone. My eyebrows raise in surprise as I take in all the missed calls and messages. Before I can check them I hear a light knock on the door and Rosalie steps in. She places two little blue pills on the nightstand and hands me the glass of water she's carrying. I gratefully take the painkillers, knowing that if I don't the pain will become unbearable. I watch Rosalie walk back over to the door and close it. I sigh knowing that there's an argument coming.

"We need to talk." She says as she leans back against the, now closed, door.

"I don't remember saying come in." I deadpan without looking up from my phone. I'm currently scrolling through Instagram as a distraction.

"Good thing I don't need your permission to enter rooms in my house then, isn't it?" She shoots back calmly. My only response is to roll my eyes and continue scrolling. "You're being incredibly rude, Bella."

"Sounds personal." I reply shortly, still not looking away from my phone. Yes, I know I'm being childish, but this is how she's been treating me all day. Excuse me for not wanting to sit there and roll with the punches. She's a big girl. If she had an issue with me then why not address it? It's a better solution than giving me the cold shoulder, that's for damn sure.

My phone is suddenly ripped from my hands and I glare at Rosalie as she shoves it in her back pocket. She's moved from the door and is now standing beside the bed with her arms crossed, looking down at me in irritation.

"Will you stop?" She asks exasperatedly.

"Oh so you can dish it, but you can't take it?" I challenge her, feigning confusion. "You get to give me the cold shoulder all day, but I'm not allowed?"

"I'm trying to talk to you about that now!" She says after taking a deep breath. "I'm upset that you lied. You lied about what happened. You lied. Right in front of me to my uncle! You fell in the shower? Fucking bullshit!" My jaw falls slack amd my eyes widen at the curse words. Rosalie almost never curses. She means business. "You lying to protect your asshole father is not okay with me! He almost broke your FUCKING ribs, Bella! Not okay!" She shouts and I don't think I've ever seen Rosalie this angry. Glassy eyes, red face, clenched fists, and set jaw, she still looks gorgeous.

"Don't yell at me." I say quietly while staring into her glassy eyes. Is she going to cry?

"Then what do you suggest I do, Bella? Huh? Sit back and watch as he beats the crap out of you? I can't. I can't and I won't." Her voice breaks. "Wait for him to seriously hurt you?" She bites her lip to stop it from trembling. "What, Bella? Tell me! Because I can't help you if you won't let me! If yelling at you is the only way to get you to listen then I'm going to yell until you acctually hear me!" She yells and I can see how much this is affecting her.

Either she wouldn't let it show before or I wasn't looking close enough, but now I see. I see the fear and sadness in her eyes and I hate that I'm a contributing factor in putting it there. I never really took a second to step into her shoes and see things from her point of view. I don't know what I'd do if someone was harming Rosalie and I feel a pang in my chest when I think of what she's probably been going through. It's not something that just affects me and I failed to see that.

"Come here." I whisper as I carefully stand up and pull her against me, ignoring the discomfort it causes in my ribs. I allow her to bury her face in my hair as I wrap my arms around her neck, hers around my waste. My short 5'2 stature only allows for my face to reach her breasts so that's exactly where I bury my face. She sniffles and I tighten my arms around her, showing her that I'm here. I listen to her heart beat and let me my fingers tap along to the rhythm on the nape of her neck. She lets her fingers sneak under my shirt and does the same on my lower back, occationally letting her fingers linger in my back dimples. I lift my head up slightly and place a gentle, lingering kiss on her neck. "I'm sorry." I murmur softly against her neck.

"I don't want you going back there with him." She says softly.

"Okay." I soothe softly, not wanting her to get herself riled up again. It's a rare occation when Rosalie lets herself be this vulnerable in front of anyone and I want to be there for her. "We'll think of something. I promise." She justs nods, her face still buried in my hair.

I pull away slowly and grab her hand before leading us both out of the room. Riley, who was waiting outside the door, trots behing us, dog tags jingling. I lead Rosalie into the kitchen and push her towards the island, where she sits on a barstool.

"Hungry?" I ask her as I open her refridgerator and lean slightly into it, looking for something to cook.

"Starving." She says distractedly. I look over my shoulder and I scoff indignantly when I find her eyes practically glued to my ass. She simply shrugs woth that sexy smirk on her face and her eyebrow raised. "Hey. It's really nice. Perfectly round, perky, not at all fl- Ahh!"

Her perverted rant is interrupted by a grape being thrown at her. She simply laughs and shakes her head at my antics. I turn back towarda the fridge and I hear Rosalie turn on the flat-screen TV above the stove. She turns to MTV and 'Girl Code' is on. I absolutely love this show. We watch quietly as I navigate around the kitchen and begin to make chicken Alfredo. Riley follows me loyally around the kitchen and I sneak him pieces of chicken when Rosalie isn't looking. I learned to cook for my self over the years when it became appearant that no one else was going to do it.

I get a plate out of the cabinet and place a good amount on Rosalie's plate. I get a fork from the drawer and turn around to find Rosalie staring at me while sipping on a glass of wine. I don't remember her getting that, I guess I was engulfed in cooking and 'Girl Code' that I didn't notice.

I place the plate in front of her before sliding onto the barstool across from her. She looks at me in confusion.

"You aren't eating?" She asks, her brows furrowing in confusion.

Shit.

"Uhh, no. I ate earlier." Please drop it.

"I've been with you basically all day and even if you did eat before the hospital, that's still a while. Eat something, sweetheart." She states concernedly. I plaster a fake nonchalant smile on my face and open my mouth to lie, but it snaps shut when Rosalie's earlier words echo in my head.

'No more lying, please. Ever. I really really don't like it. At all. And I want to be able to trust the person that I'm in a relationship with. I... can't do that if you're lying to me. I don't lie to you, so please show me the same respect.'

I sigh and avoid Rosalie's gaze, trying to gather my thoughts. No more lying.

"I don't want to." I eventually reply quietly. Please drop it.

"Why?" She presses and tries to catch my eye. I sigh heavily and decide not to answer. She quickly catches on to my silence. "Bella? Talk to me."

"I'm on a diet." I say eventually.

"Why?" She asks looking genuinely confused.

"I want to lose weight." I say, shifting in my chair uncomfortably. Food has definitely been a taboo subject with me for a while and I really don't like when people talk about it. Comments on my food intake is definitely a no.

"Where?" She says and I hate the sad knowing look on her face, as if she already knows what I'm going to say.

"Everywhere."

She gets out of her seat and walks HYosomewhere else in the kitchen and I hear dishes clanging. I don't dare look behind me to see what she's doing. A plate full of food is suddenly slid in from of me and feel Rosalie wrap her arms around me from behind.

"You're perfect." She whispers in my ear before placing a kiss on my temple. She taps my thighs twice, signaling for me to stand up, sliding into my seat and pulling me in to her lap when I do. "Eat, please. For me."

That's all she says before she reaches around me and across the island, tugging her plate closer and beginning to eat. I eventually begin to eat too and she rubs my back lovingly.

"Thank you." She whispers.

Review.

Okay so first of all Oh my god ! I hit 200 reviews ! Thank you guys so much for the support. I'm really thankful and I love your feedback! I read every review ! Second of all my lack of updates is do to my depression. I was in a funk for a few days and I had to take a step back because it was affecting my writing. But I'm back now ! Give me feedback !


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

Trigger Warning.

After forcing myself to finish the food Rosalie gave me, I hop down from her lap and the barstool and make my way towards the living room, leaving her to finish eating. I glance at the cable box and quickly do a double take when I realize the time. The clock reads 8:00. I curse under my breathe and immediately reach into my back pocket for my phone, only to find it empty. My brow furrows in confusion as I try and remember where I put it.

"Looking for this?" I hear Rosalie say, amusement in her tone. I spin around and find her standing a few feet behind me, smiling coyly. I roll my eyes playful and reach for my phone, only to have her hold it above her head, far out of my reach. I whine and jump pathetically and glare at her her when I notice that she's desperately trying to hold back a laugh.

"Rose." I whine pitifully, stamping my foot childishly. I look up at her with my best puppy dog face and she looks down at me with an adorable, perfect smile.

"You're so damn cute, B." She coos, kissing my pouting lips less than a second later. I let myself relax into the kiss, deepening it after a few moments. After a few minutes I began to push Rosalie back towards the wall and before her back makes contact I reach down and grab her ass, effectively trapping my hands between her ass and the wall. A breathy moan escapes Rosalie and I smirk against her lips, feeling proud that I could draw that sound from her. My lips start to travel down her jawline and I gently nip it while kneading her ass in my hands, eliciting a hiss from her. She tangles her hands in my hair and tries to pull me impossibly closer.

"You like that?" I ask huskily, my boldness surprising even me. I have no idea what I'm doing or what to do when it comes to pleasing Rosalie, but judging by how her body is reacting to me I think I'm doing pretty well. My plan is going perfectly.

"Mhm." She responds huskily as I pull back, her hands still tangled in my hair. Seeing her pressed up against the wall, hair messy, flushed, eyes darkened, lips slightly swollen and red from kissing makes me honestly want to fuck her right here against the wall. Obviously we aren't anywhere near ready for that, but who said I couldn't tease?

I run my my hands down her arms slowly and then smirk at her. Her confused, and very horny look is quickly replaced by a shocked and indignant one as I swiftly grab my phone and back away out of her reach. She merely rolls her eyes and huffs at my teasing, but I can see the effect it had on her. Her breathing is heavier, her normally light, electric blue eyes are now a dark navy blue and her cheeks are flushed.

"That's not nice." She states matter-of-factly as she walks over to the couch and gracefully deposits herself onto it, turning on the TV in the process.

"What's not nice?" I ask innocently as I unlock my phone and begin to scroll through my missed calls and messages. The majority are from Courtney, wondering where I am and wanting to know why she got a call from a friend of hers, who appearantly works at the hospital, saying that I was a patient earlier today. That'll be a fun conversation. A few from Renee, wanting me to call her. Some from Jasper, wanting to know if I'm alright and if I need anything, which I honestly find really sweet and reassuring. Knowing that I have a friend is really comforting. And one missed call and a message from my dad, telling me to call him ASAP.

"Don't play ignorant." Rosalie scoffs as she finally settles on a show, 'Law & Order: SVU'. One of my absolute favorite shows of all time. I walk around the couch and sit at the opposite end, turning sideways towards Rosalie, who is already lost in the TV show, and tucking my feet under me. I bite my lip as I scroll through my contacts, looking for my dad's number, finally finding it after a few seconds. I press the call icon and press the phone against my ear, ignoring Rosalie's questioning glance. It rings twice before he answers.

"Where are you?" My father's harsh voice cuts through the phone. I'm almost positive that Rosalie can hear it.

"At a friend's." I reply shortly, knowing he wont care enough to question further. I can feel Rosalie's gaze burning holes into the top of my head, which is ducked down towards my lap, but I refuse to look at her.

"I want you home. Now. Why were you at the hospital?" His voice is strong and firm, but I notice a hint of uncertainty in it. What has him so on edge?

"Umm... I have some fractured ribs and severe bruising on my hip." I say quietly. I can see Rosalie shaking her head on the other side of the couch.

"And what did you tell them happened?" He asks. Ahhh, so that's why he's jumpy. He's afraid that I ratted him out.

"I didn't tell them what happened, dad." I say quietly and Rosalie scoffs from her side of the couch.

"Get home. If you aren't here in an hour you'll be sorry. I swear." Is all he says shortly after a brief silence before hanging up without another word. I sigh loudly and throw my head backwards over the arm of the couch, laying my arm over my face. I'm exhausted. The last thing I need is more drama with my father.

"Rose?" I ask tentatively.

"Yeah?" She replies lightly, still immersed in the show.

"Can you give me a ride home?"

"No." She replies simply, as if she didn't just refuse to let me go home.

"No?" I ask incredulously, lifting my head up and staring at her. She merely glances at me and chuckles when she sees my bewildered expression.

"Yes, no. Did you honestly think I'd agree to bringing you back to that house with him?" She asks calmly while getting up from the couch and heading towards the kitchen. I stare after her in shock. I expected her to be against it, but I didn't expect her blatant refusal and for her to leave no room for argument. But I guess that's Rosalie for you, stubborn and strong-willed.

I sigh and get up to follow her to the kitchen. I find her at the stove placing cookie dough onto a cookie sheet. I walk over and lean against the counter next to the stove. Rosalie turns to me with an eyebrow and licks her fingers slowly. The sight of her full lips wrapping around each finger is almost enough to make me forget what I wanted in the first place. She finishes licking the dough of her fingers with a smirk at the look on my face and proceeds to place the spoon in the sink. I glare at her obvious attempt to distract me.

"Need something, B?" She asks innocently, stepping in front of me with a leg on each side of me, wrapping her arms around my neck delicately.

"Take me home, please." I say seriously while looking into her eyes. "I have school tomorrow, you have work tomorrow, I have no clothes, I need my car and my dad wants me home."

"I honestly don't care what he wants, B." She says just as seriously while looking into my eyes.

"What about what I want?" I ask while wrapping my hands around her waist and sliding them under her shirt to caress her lower back. She sighs heavily and rests her chin on top of my head.

"What you want is going to put you in danger. I'm not comfortable with being an enabler. I'm not comfortable with you being in danger." She says, but I can hear in her voice that her resolve is wavering.

"Rose, please? He knows better than to hurt me while I'm injured. He's smarter than that. Courtney will be home, I won't leave my room and I'll call you hourly. You have work tomorrow and I have school. We definately can't arrive in the same car and honestly... I don't think our relationship is ready for us staying together." I say quickly and Rosalie sighs heavily again and steps out of my arms. She walks over to the counter and grabs her keys, purse and jacket.

"Let's go." She says shortly, while walking towards the elevator. I follow behind her and we put on our shoes in silence. We step into the elevator and Rosalie is refusing to make eye contact with me. I sigh and step in front of her, wrapping my arms around her waist and burying my face in her breasts. She sighs and weakly returns the embrace.

"He's my father." I whisper into her chest desperately, needing her to understand. What if she gets tired of me and my poor choices? What if she realizes she can do better?

"And you're my girlfriend, who I happen to care a lot about." She says before continuing hesitantly. "I understand that you want to protect your father, sweetheart, I really do, but... who's protecting you?"

The elevator doors open before I can respond and Rosalie untangles herself from my arms and struts out of the elevator quickly. I folow behind her quickly out into the parking lot and fall into step beside her, basically jogging beside her. My height definately isn't working in my favor in this situation.

We finally reach the truck and Rosalie assists me in climbing into the passenger seat before walking around to her side and gracefully slipping into the driver's seat. The engine roars to life and Rosalie pulls out of the parking lot.

"Are you mad at me?" I ask after a few moments of riding in silence. She stays quiet for a few moments before answering.

"I'm mad at the situation, not at you. I... I know what it's like to be too afraid to say anything. To be stuck between family ties and your own well being. I know. So, no. I'm not mad at you." She says quietly and I can't read her face at all. It's completely devoid of emotion. It's almost like she locked away all her emotions.

"What happened?" I whisper, placing my hand on her thigh, gently running my thumb up and down.

"A story for another time, sweetheart." She says quietly. I decide to drop it and bring it up another time. It's obvious I'm not going to get anywhere.

We finally pull up to the gate surrounding my house and I'm surprised to see that it's closed. Rosalie looks at me expectantly.

"Did you want to get out and type it in or-"

"It's fine." I say, cutting her off. "I trust you. 4-8-0-6-9-7."

She smiles gently at me and then proceeds to type in the code. The gates open and she proceeds to drive the Range Rover up the driveway, pulling to a stop outside of my front door. She places the car in park and leans back against her seat, turning her head to look at me sadly.

"Call me immediately if anything happens, B. Please." She pleads and I nod my head at her. "I'll text you Emmett's number too. He's a police officer for Forks. Don't worry. He knows about us and won't say anything to anyone. He wouldn't do that to me."

I just nod, slightly shocked that she shared our relationship so openly with a police officer. She must really trust Emmett because I can see how much our relationship means to Rosalie and she confided in someone who could do the most damage to it. Why? What if he uses it against us?

"Stop worrying, sweetheart." She says, obviously noticing the distress on my face. Her hand reaches over and grasps my chin, bringing my light green eyes to meet her gorgeous electric blue ones. "Everything will be fine. He won't say anything. I'll see you tomorrow, B. Call me later to let me know you're alright, please. If anything happens please come over. Just... be safe."

"Okay." I answer shortly.

"Oh!" She exclaims before digging through her purse. Her hand reemerges with a pill bottle. "Here's your medication. Take one tonight before bed and one in the morning."

I nod and place them in my pocket before leaning forward and capturing her full lips in a deep, loving kiss, which she returns whole-heartedly. She pulls away after a few moments and then presses a lingering kiss on my forhead. "I love you." She murmurs against my forhead.

Those three words fill me with an unbelievable amount of joy and even though I already knew she loved me, due to her confession that night in her condo, this is the first time she has acctually said them. It still amazes me that someone as beautiful and sophisticated and all around incredible could want me like she does. It puzzles me, but I'm going to try and keep her around for as long as possible.

"I love you too." I whisper before kissing her again, briefly, but deeply. "So much."

I watch Rosalie's black Range Rover's headlights disappear down the driveway before turning around and walking up the front steps. I hesitate briefly before opening the door and walking inside, entering the foyer.

"Isabella?" I hear my father's voice boom from the living room and I jump in surprise.

"Yeah." I call out.

"Come in here, please."

I walk down the hallway and into the living room and find him sitting in hia armchair next to the burning fireplace. I stand awkwardly in the entrance way, unwilling go any closer to him.

"I'm going out for a little while with a few colleagues of mine. I'll speak to you about this... situation when I get back." He says evenly, but something about him is off, almost as if he knows something I don't.

"Where's Courtney?" I ask, just now realizing that she isn't anwhere in sight.

"It's only 9. I assume she's still at the office." He says while getting up and walking towards me, causing me to straighten up. He chuckles and shakes his head at me before stepping around me.

"You'll learn." Is all he says before walking up the stairs and out of sight.

I stare after him in confusion before pulling out my phone. I unlock it and scroll through my contacts, pressing the call icon next to Courtney's name. It rings four times before she answers.

"Courtney Swan." She answers in her 'lawyer voice'. I smile at her professionalism before saying something.

"Hey. Are you coming home tonight?" I ask while walking up the stairs and towards my room.

"Umm... I don't think so, hon. I just got a big break-through in the case so we're all probably going to pull an all nighter." I sigh heavily as I open the door to my room and walk over to my bed. I was really hoping Courtney would be here. "Why? Do you need me at home, hon? I could take off."

"No... no it's fine. I'll just see you tomorrow." I say, not wanting to take her away from her job. I know she enjoys doing what she does and it must be a break from this hell-hole of a house, something I know we both need.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm fine. See you tomorrow." I say sincerely while biting my lip.

"Okay. Goodnight, love."

"Goodnight, Court." I say before hanging up.

I sigh and place my phone on the charger, sitting it on my nightstand. I get up and walk into my bathroom, turning on the light on my way in. I walk across the large bathroom and turn on the shower. I place my pain killers on the sink counter and then begin to undress. Once I'm fully naked I step into the shower and sigh at how amazing the hot water feels against my tense muscles. I can feel my muscles relaxing and I never thought I could appreciate a hot shower more than I do at this moment.

I grab the shampoo and begin working it into my long, thick hair. I need to get a hair cut soon, I realize, since my hair is almost past my butt. After I'm done washing and conditioning my hair, I shave and thoroughly wash my body before finally getting out. I wrap my robe, which is hanging on the back of the shower door, around me and walk to the sink to begin the long process of blow drying my hair.

After about an hour my hair is finally dry and I tie it up into a knot on the crown of my head, deciding that I'll straighten it in the morning. Being a quarter domincan, on my mother's side, has it's down sides sometimes. I sigh and finally walk out of the bathroom. I pad my way over to my dress and pull out a pair of purple, lace 'Victoria's Secret' boy-shorts and pull them on quickly. Warm Vanilla Sugar, my favorite line of scents from 'Bath & Body Works', is then applied to my body thoroughly and I sigh, relaxing further as the scent envelops me. I then pull a long 'Victoria's Secret PINK' night shirt from my dresser and slide it over my head. I walk back into the bathroom and wash my face and moisturize it. I then take my medication before exiting the bathroom, turning out the lights in my bathroom and bedroom and hopping into bed. I grab my phone and scroll through my contacts, pressing the call icon next to Rosalie's name. It rings twice before she answers.

"Bella?" She answers and I can hear the TV in the background along with male laughter.

"Hey, Rose." I reply. "I'm guessing Emmett's over?"

"Yeah. He's keeping me company for a little while, while I grade papers. We're watching 'Pitch Perfect'." She replies as I hear Emmett yell a hello in the background, causing me to giggle. "Emmett says hi."

"Tell him I said hey." I say with a laugh. "I was just calling to let you know I'm fine and I'm going to bed now."

"Okay, sweetheart. Goodnight." She replies quietly.

"Goodnight, Rose." I hesitate before adding, "I love you."

"I love you too, B." She replies tenderly and I can hear a loud, drawn out, obnoxious 'Awww' from Emmett in the background. "Shut up, Emmett! Bye, sweetheart."

I laugh to myself as I reach over and plug my phone into the charger, placing it on my nightstand. I pull the covers up and curl into a ball in the middle of my huge bed, snuggling into my many pillows. I close my eyes and fall asleep almost instantly.

Xx

I'm awoken to a heavy weight on top of me and I immediately let out a scream before a sweaty, large hand clamps down over my mouth. One quick glance around my room tells me that it's still night time and I can feel the panic quickly rising in me.

"You know, Isabella, I don't think you understand that what happens in this house between you and I, stays in this house between you and I." I immediately recognize the voice as my fathers, but it does nothing to stop the panic that is quickly consuming me. I thrash and feel the tears begin to run down my face when it does nothing to move him, considering the fact that he has more than a hundred pounds on me easily. "But don't worry, I'll teach you."

He shoves his free hand up my shirt as I beat helplessly against his chest. He cups my breast and my mind is scrambling to process everything that is happening.

"You've grown into such a beautiful young lady, Isabella. So... blessed," He emphasizes the word with a surprisingly gentle squeeze to my chest that causes me to let out a sob against his hand. "and pretty." He lays a gentle kiss on my forehead. "You're making me do this, Isabella. This is the only way to make sure you keep quiet."

I start to sob in earnest as he starts to caress me all over, each caress getting rougher and rougher.

"You going to your mouth shut?" He asks as he shoves his hands in my underwear, my sobs hysterical at this point. I give a jerky nod against his hand and scream as he roughly shoves three fingers in me.

"Is this what you want to happen again?" I shake my head quickly, hoping that this will prompt him to stop. My sobs are extremely loud, even with his hand muffling them. "Good girl."

He then pulls his fingers out and gets off of me. I quickly curl into a ball and wait for him to leave the room. The door shuts and I scramble out of bed and shoot towards the door, immediately locking it, mentally cursing myself for not locking it before. My sobs are loud and painful as I make my way towards my phone and unlock it shakily, noticing that it's 2:00 in the morning, and press the call icon after scrolling through my contacts swiftly.

"Bella?" Says the voice on the other end, sounding fully awake.

"Can you come home?" I sob into the phone.

"Bella?" She says, her voice instantly alarmed. "Honey, what's going on?"

"Courtney please come home." I sob desperately into the phone. My mind is racing and I suddenly feel like my room is closing in on me. I'm terrified and all I want is Rosalie, but I know she's sleeping.

"I'm on my way, honey." She says before hanging up. I place my phone down and begin to pace around my room, trying desperately to stop the sobs escaping me.

I don't how long it is before I hear a knock on my door and I jump violently and tense up. I check my phone and realize an hour has passed.

"Bella, honey? Open the door." I hear Courtney's voice through the door and I immediately relax, hurrying towards the door and unlocking it quickly. I yank open the door and basically throw myself into Courtney's arms, sobbing loudly into her chest, that being where my face reaches since she's almost as tall as Rosalie. She wraps her arms around me and backs us into my room, closing the door behind her quickly. She lays us in my bed and wraps me up in her arms tightly.

"Honey, what happened?" She asks gently, but I can hear the underlying alarm in her voice.

"H-he... He was on top of me and I couldn't move o-or scream. He was too big. I couldn't get away." I sob against her chest, my words sounding jumbled and muffled, but I know she heard by the way her whole demeanor changes. She stiffens and tightens her hold on me.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I'm so so sorry." Is all she says as she holds onto me, her voice giving away her tears.

"I can't stay here anymore." I say quietly through my sobs and I can feel Courtney nod in agreement. I snuggle closer into her before continuing. "Neither can you."

"We'll figure it out, Bella. I promise." That's the last thing I hear before I fall asleep in Coutney's arms.

Review.

Omg. This was really hard to write, but I pushed through. It was originally a lot longer but I cut it in half. Still the longest chapter yet. It's still not my favorite though. Next chapter will have Rosalie's reaction along with some other things. Also I wanna give a shout out to ScOut4It for her amazing feedback, I absolutely LOVE it. Please keep it coming and feel free to give me suggestions and criticism. Also I'm sorry for the long wait. And FYI the worst is over for Bella. I feel like yoy guys deserve to know that. Until next time!


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

It's not beta'd. Probably lots of errors to since I don't look over and it's 2 in the morning soooo.. sorry?

I awaken to Courtney shaking my shoulder gently and I automatically groan and roll over and place my head deeply into my pillow, feeling incredibly groggy. My eyes feel irritated, heavy and puffy. My mouth has a horrible taste in it accompanied by awful dryness. And my head is pounding like I have a marching band holding a party inside of it. After registering all of this, I immediately grab the covers and pull them higher up on my body, snuggling deeper into them in the process.

I feel her gently begin to rub my back and I can't help but let myself relax into her touch, the motion always having been incredibly soothing to me. Unfortunately, it doesn't do much to slow down the racing thoughts inside my head. The events from last night are still very present in my mind and have been all night. I woke up continuously throughout the night, images of him plaguing my mind, his words playing over and over again.

_Good girl._

I feel tears well in my eyes and I don't even try to stop them, not having the strength to do so at this point. I try and focus on Courtney's soothing motion on my back.

_You've grown into such a beautiful young lady, Isabella._

I quickly roll over, ignoring the searing pain that shoots through the injured parts of my body, and bury my face in Courtney's stomach as a broken sob escapes me. She quickly wraps her arms around my trembling frame and begins to rock me back and forth. I hold on tightly and I just cry because that's all I can bring myself to do.

"I'm sorry." She says sadly and after a moment hesitantly adds, "The police are downstairs. They want to talk to you."

I just nod pathetically because I don't have it in me to argue or protest right now. I just want to lay here and never leave my bed again. I don't want to face the problems that are now bound to come racing my way. I don't want to deal with what happened. I don't want any of it. I just want to sleep and sleep and sleep some more. Sleep is just like being dead just without any of the commitment.

"What time is it?" I ask, my tear-filled voice groggy and raspy as I move into a sitting position and hiss in pain. I lean over to the nightstand and grab my painkillers, pulling one out and dry swallowing it with a grimace.

"Almost 2:30 in the afternoon, hon. You've been sleeping for a while. We need to go down now..." she hesitates before continuing. "They told me to tell you not to change your clothes or wash, so I'll grab you some sweatpants, is that okay?" She asks while getting up and moving towards my closet.

I reach over and grab my phone off the nightstand and my eyes widen when I see what is on the screen.

_14 missed calls. Rosalie._

Shit.

I instantly feel guilty because I know Rosalie must be going insane with worry. I didn't show up at school today and I missed all 14 of her calls. I have no idea what I'm going to say to her either. How do I explain what happened last night? How do you tell someone something like that? I don't know. All I know is that I don't want to face her yet. I know she'll feel responsible and I can't have that. I'll call her later.

Courtney places a pair a plain black sweatpants on my lap and looks at me expectantly. I place my phone next to me and gently slide up and out of bed, the painkillers having started to do their job. I look down and frown, tears filling my eyes again as I take in the bruising on my hips and thighs, another reminder of last night. I quickly pull on the sweatpants with some assistance from Courtney, noting that her eyes are watery too, most likely from witnessing the bruising. She then hands me a pair of brown UGGS and my Northface fleece and I put them on. I then grab my phone off of the charger and put it in my jacket pocket before taking Courtney's outstretched hand and letting her lead the way down the stairs and into the foyer wear a cop in uniform is waiting with his backs turned to us. He turns around when he hears us approach and through watery eyes I recognize Emmett's saddened face.

"You both ready to head out?" He asks, continuing in a very professional voice when we both nod. "We will need to take you to the hospital to collect any evidence we may need and there will be two detectives there to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?" I nod. "Are those the clothes you were wearing during the incident?" I nod. "Good. Let's go."

The three of us walk outside in silence towards Emmett's squad car and he opens the passenger seat door for me when we reach it. I look at him and Courtney questioningly, wondering why she isn't taking the front seat, sine she's the adult.

"Honey, I'm going to drive my car to the hospital and meet you there, okay?" She asks, looking worriedly at me, obviously needing me to reassure her. "Are you okay with riding with offer McCarthy?"

I contemplate it for a moment before nodding hesitantly. I don't want to leave Courtney, but the rational part of my brain is telling me that she isn't going to leave me, She's been my safe haven since last night and I don't want to lose that. She saw me at my worst and is sticking by me through all of this and I'm so grateful.

"Okay, hon. See you there." She steps forward and gives me a hug before hurrying off towards the garage. I watch her disappear into the garage before climbing into the passenger's seat of the squad car and putting my seat belt on. Emmett closes the door behind me and walks around the front of the car, hopping into the front seat. He quietly starts the car and pulls off as Courtney's BMW appears behind us. We ride in silence for a few moments, with me gazing out my window, before he breaks the silence.

"You do know I can't keep this from Rose, right?" He asks, continuing when I don't acknowledge him. "She's been worried out of her mind all day, Bella. I'm going to call her if you don't." He states finally.

"Isn't there such thing as police confidentiality?" I ask annoyed. Why is he in my business? What the hell does he know about what I'm going through?

"Not when I'm not the officer assigned to your case." He says with a smirk, knowing that he just won. We ride in silence for a few more moments before I decide to break it again.

"Are you going to arrest him?" I ask hesitantly. He looks at me briefly and knowingly before answering.

"We have a pending warrant for his arrest as we speak. All we need is the evidence and your statement and we're good to go."

I just nod and return to looking out of the window, watching the trees blur past. I drop my forehead on the window and close my eyes, letting myself get lost in the sounds surrounding me. Neither of us speak for the rest of the ride there.

_Emmett's POV._

I worriedly watch Bella's still form through the corner of my eyes as I drive towards Forks Medical, wondering how she's handling the events of today. When the call came into the station I was the one who answered and listened as her step-mother, Courtney Swan, explained the situation to me and I was the one who volunteered to go and escort them to the hospital. Her asshole father is in for a world of trouble when I find him. Even more trouble when Rosalie finds out.

_Shit. Rosalie._

I have no idea how to tell her about any of this, but I know keeping her out of the loop isn't the right thing to do. I see how she looks at Bella and anyone can tell how deeply she loves and cares for her and that is so rare for Rosalie. Rose doesn't love easily by any means, but when she does love she loves so hard. Anyone who has ever had the pleasure of experiencing her amazing brand of love will agree. Rosalie was dealt a pretty shitty hand in life, but she did so much with that hand and I'm so proud of her. She is my very best friend in the whole world and I'd do anything for that girl, including defending the person she loves. From what I've seen so far Bella makes Rose incredibly happy and I feel like I owe Bella for that. I feel like I owe her so much.

I pull up outside of Forks Medical and pull to a stop outside of the emergency entrance, getting out the car and walking back to where Courtney Swan's car is parked not to far behind me. She exits the car when she sees me coming and meets me halfway.

"A detective is waiting for you inside by the name of Victoria Sutherland. Tall, redhead. Trust me you won't miss her. I'm going to go to the station and organize the arrest of Charlie Swan and I will have Detective Sutherland keep you updated. Okay?" I state professionally while walking back towards my car, where Bella's sleeping form is waiting in the passenger's seat.

"I'll get her." Courtney mutters while walking around me to open the passenger's side door. I watch as she wakes Bella up with so much care and compassion and I can't help but wonder why she has no kids of her own. It's always baffled me how people who don't deserve kids get them and those who do deserve them don't. I can't imagine ever laying a hand on Lily, ever. She's been my world since the day she was born. Even though Kate and I have our differences we've never exposed Lily to that.

"I'm going to head down to the station. Come there and ask for me when you're done okay?" I say while walking around the front of my car and jumping into the driver's seat. I wait until I see them disappear into the entrance doors before pulling out my phone and calling Rose. It rings twice before she answers.

"What's up, Em?" She asks and I feel like smacking myself in the fore head right now for not thinking of what to say _before_ I called her. Nice one. "Em?"

"Um... Hey, Rose." I say hesitantly while rubbing the back of neck, at a complete loss for how to go about this. I know Rosalie is super protective over Bella and really sensitive about this topic. I really should have called with a plan. "Have you heard from Bella today?"

_Nice Emmett. Just rip it off like a band-aid. _

"No. She wasn't in school today." She says cautiously before adding, "What's going on Emmett?"

She asks, her voice hard.

"Maybe you should come down to the station and I'll tell you then." I say cautiously as I start my car and buckle up. I hear shuffling in keys on her end of the line.

"No. Tell me what you know, Emmett. _Now_." _Holy shit. _I swear this woman was a demon in her past life. I'm convinced she can make anyone do anything she wants with that voice.

"I got a call this morning from Courtney Swan. She um..." I hesitate. This isn't my area of expertise. This is a lot harder than it sounded in my head.

"Emmett!" She barks into the phone and I almost jump at how intimidating and _scared_ she sounds.

"She reported that her step-daughter, Bella, had been raped by her husband Charlie Swan last night. I'm so sorry, Rose."

Silence. Complete fucking silence.

"Rose?" I hear a sniffle. "Oh man, Rose. I'm really sorry... Please don't cry."

"I'm on my way." She whispers tearfully before hanging up the phone.

I sigh and place my phone back into my pocket before pulling out of the parking lot and driving in the direction of the station, which is about two minutes from the hospital.

"_McCarthy?"_

I sigh as my name is called through the police radio.

"Yup?" I answer quickly into the radio on my shirt.

"_We have Charles Swan in custody. We'll be arriving at the station shortly."_

"Copy. Treat him real _nice_, guys."

"_Copy."_ I hear someone say with a chuckle.

I pull up in front of the station and step out of my car and close the door behind me before leaning back against it and waiting for Rose.

I see a colleague of mine, James Witherdale, pass me and I call out to him. He turns his head in my direction and smiles before jogging over. His blond ponytail swinging behind him. I almost chuckle at how feminine he looks but whatever.

"What's up, man?" He asks when he reaches me, slapping his hand against mine in the typical male handshake fashion.

"Just wanted to know if you've heard from your partner today." His partner is Sutherland, the woman who I chose to work on Bella's case. She's very compassionate and understanding and the best at what she does.

"Yeah, man. I'm actually heading over there now. She needs me there. Something about a victim not being cooperative with the rape-kit. Who knows? I'm gonna head over there to see what's up."

I furrow my brow in worry at his statement just as I hear a car door slam and I look up to see Rosalie rushing towards me from across the parking lot.

"Look man," I begin hurriedly, trying to get this out before Rose makes it over here, not wanting to worry her. "I know the victim personally so call me when you get there and fill me in, yeah?"

"Yeah, sure man." He say as Rosalie reaches and fixes her hard stare on me. His eyes widen at how good looking she is and take in her form before he walks away towards his car, glancing back a few times. I roll my eyes at him and raise my middle finger when he looks back for the fifth time. He laughs loudly and wiggles his eyes brows suggestively at me causing me to laugh too.

I turn around to look at Rosalie and my laughter and amusement immediately dies at the look she is giving me. Her icy blue eyes are glaring at me and rimmed red as if she's been crying. That's all the evidence I need to know that this is hitting Rosalie hard and bringing back painful memories for her. Before I can ask her how she's doing though she begins to speak.

"Where is she?" She asks commandingly. "I need to be with her."

"She's at the hospital with Courtney and two of our detective's. She should be on her way here after that." I say evenly.

"Then why the hell did you tell me to come here? I need to be with Bella right now." She says while turning around and starting to walk back towards her car. I quickly catch up to her and grab her arm gently before she can make it far. I spin her around and let go when she tries to pull her arm out of my grip.

"I told you to come here because I need to speak with you, Rose." I say quietly while searching her hard, blue eyes.

Before I can continue I hear one of my officers yelling from across the parking lot, "Mr. Swan if you don't stop struggling I will charge you with resisting arrest."

I look towards the direction where the voice is coming from and I see two of my officers escorting Charlie Swan towards the station. He has a smug smirk on his face and it makes my blood boil. Apparently not just my blood either because when I glance at Rosalie she looks absolutely livid as she stares at him. As they bring him closer and he is about to pass us he speaks.

"My daughter is a lying slut. Don't believe anything she says. She's 18. She wanted it. _She_ came onto _me_."

The next few seconds go by incredibly fast. All I see is a flash of blonde hair and then I hear a loud smack and a pain filled scream. I immediately rush forward to restrain Rosalie, who looks about ready to kill him, and pull her away from him.

"Fucking _bastard_!" She screams angrily and I don't think I've ever seen Rosalie so... _angry_. I look down and grab her hands to check her palms over, trying to see if they got damaged when she hit him. I'm surprised to see that her _knuckles_ are red.

_Holy shit! She punched him so hard it sounded like an open handed slap!_

"That bitch!" He screams like a bitch. "She just assaulted me! I want her arrested!"

"Fuck you! I swear to fucking God if you _ever_ come near Bella again I'll fucking murder you!" Rosalie screams angrily as I struggle to restrain her. This woman is freakishly strong. She glares hard at him and then says calmly, "I really hope you press charges and they put me in a cell with you. I promise you I'll be going to jail for a lot more than a _fucking_ assault charge, asshole."

Charlie's face visibly pales and the officers begin to pull him along again towards the building. I turn to Rosalie once he makes it inside and I feel a pang in my chest as I see her face. Her eyes are filled with tears, her jaw is clenched and she is visibly shaking. I immediately pull her into my arms and she instantly buries her face in my chest and begins to sob. I've only seen Rosalie cry twice in the 10 years I've known her. Once when her childhood dog Bernard died and one other time when she told me about what had happened to her. Seeing her cry has always been hard to watch since she's such a strong, put-together person. Her sobs into my chest are so loud and heart-breaking and I can't help but hold her tighter.

"How could he do that?" She cries into my chest tearfully. I don't know what sounds the worst, her voice or her sobs. "How could anyone do that?"

"I don't know, babe. I honestly don't know." She just continues to sob into my chest and I feel really helpless at the moment. All I can do is hold her while she falls apart.

"I just want to see her. Please take me to see her. I just want to see Bella. Please, Em." She cries hysterically into my chest.

"Okay. Okay." I try and soothe her.

"I need to see Bella!" She cries again and again into my chest, repeating it like a mantra.

"Get in the car. I'll take you to see Bella, okay?" I say finally, knowing that Rose won't calm down until she sees that Bella is safe and okay.

Rose nods into my chest before hiccuping and pulling away with a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm herself down. She walks around to passenger's side of the car and climbs in and I do the same. I start the car and pull off and out of the parking lot. I watch from the corner of my eye as Rose pulls down the visor and tries to fix herself in the mirror. I personally think she looks great, but I guess it's a girl thing.

"You look fine, Rose." I finally say when we stop at a red light.

She doesn't respond she just sighs quietly and shuts the visor before sitting back in her seat. I pull into the parking lot of Forks Memorial and put the car in park. I step out of the car, Rosalie immediately following suit, and walk towards the entrance. Surprisingly when I walk into the lobby Witherland is standing in the lobby pacing, looking stressed the hell out. He glances up and when he sees me he immediately begins to walk towards Rose and I.

"Thank God," He begins once he reaches us. "Isabella Swan." Is all he says while looking at me and Rose. I look at him waiting for him to say more and raise both of my brows and extend my neck in a 'well?!' manner at him when he doesn't continue. Rosalie obviously gets tired of his vagueness before I do.

"What about Isabella Swan?" She asks him with an eyebrow raised intimidatingly and a hip cocked.

"She's being uncooperative. She gave us her full statement and was so cooperative up until it was time for the pelvic. We need the evidence to get the guy, but we can't do that if she's freaking out and refusing. Fuck." He says exasperatedly.

"Well excuse her for not wanting people probing around down there after she was fucking raped, asshole. I really have no patience for this shit today. I really don't. Just give me a room number." Rosalie says in a highly irritated tone.

James looks at me and I just nod my head at him, telling him to give her what she wants. I really don't need another repeat of the police station.

"204." He says to her. "I'll take you both. Follow me."

We both quickly follow him through the hospital and into and elevator. He presses the button for the second floor and we ride in silence. We finally reach the second floor and get off of the elevator. We follow James through a series of hallways before finally stopping outside of a door labeled 204. Before any of us can enter, the door opens and Victoria exits, looking thoroughly saddened and frustrated. She closes the door behind her and looks at us all.

"She won't do the rape-kit. Even though he..." Shes tops herself and glances at Rosalie and then addresses me. "Can we speak privately?"

"Um... no, she's fine." I say before turning to Rose, who looks incredibly cautious. "Are you sure you want to hear this?" I ask, wanting to make sure it won't be too much for her.

"I'm fine." She whispers. I nod at her and then lead us all to a secluded corner down the hall. I nod at Victoria to continue and I feel Rosalie grab my hand tightly and I squeeze hers back reassuringly.

"She says she wants to press charges." She begins professionally and with no emotion in her voice, emotions aren't something to bring to work with this job. "She stated that he forced her and threatened her, saying that if she told anyone about his ongoing abuse that he'd do it again. She remembers a great deal of details and that can be helpful for us, but damaging for her. She remembers every word he said, every move he made and I doubt she'll forget anytime soon."

"She'll be okay though, right?" I ask worriedly, Rosalie's death grip on my hand lets me know that she probably thinking the same thing.

"I have faith that she will be with time. Just...," She hesitates before continuing. "make sure she has someone to keep a close eye on her for a while. She shouldn't left alone for long periods of time."

"Are you saying she's suicidal?!" Rose asks, blatant fear in her voice.

"I'm saying she's been through a lot and she's fragile. I'm not a psychologist." She says professionally.

Rosalie turns immediately and briskly walks briskly towards Bella's room, knocking quickly and entering when someone calls her in. I sigh as I watch her disappear inside.

_Bella's POV._

I hate this. I hate everything about today. When Courtney and I walked in we met up with a detective named Victoria, a leggy redhead with green eyes and a nice smile. She then too us to a private room, room 204, and asked Courtney to step outside so she could ask me a few question, which immediately made me nervous. She asked to recount what happened last night and I did. Every word he said, every touch he made and every threat he made. I had tears pouring down my face throughout the whole thing and I was so glad when it was over. They then took my clothes for evidence and Courtney had to run home and grab new clothes which consisted of sweatpants a sweatshirt and underwear and bra. She then called a nurse in and then explained to me that they needed to do a pelvic exam. I was fine with that until they explained what that entailed, which brought on whole new round of tears and sobs and pleads, begging them not to make me. And that is how we got to where I am now.

I'm sitting curled into a corner on my hospital bed with Victoria standing in the corner of the room with a frustrated, sad look on her face and Courtney staring at me with pleading eyes from a chair next to my bed, opposite the side that I'm curled up on. I can tell she wants to hug me and physically comfort me, but when she tried the first I flinched away and continued to sob loudly. I hear footsteps and then the sound of the door opening, signaling that Victoria has left.

"Honey." She says sadly as she stares at me and all I can do is lift my head and stare back and cry because she's on their side. Why is she on their side? "You have to do this, Bella. You have no choice."

"No." I plead pathetically and begin to cry harder, burying my face back into my legs. Why are they forcing me to do this? Why is everyone forcing me to do things lately? I don't want to, why are they making me? "Please."

"Bella, don't you want Charlie to go away for what he did?" She asks condescendingly. Why is she talking to me like I'm a fucking child? I'm not a child or an invalid I know what the fuck she's saying.

"Don't talk to me like I'm stupid." I hiss at her. "I just... I can't do it." I say pathetically.

"You don't have a choice." She says, sounding frustrated and running her hand through her hair and sigh loudly. "Look, honey, I get it-"

"No you don't! No one will ever _get_ _it_! You don't know how I'm feeling so let's not pretend you do!" I exclaim loudly, interrupting her. I just feel so overwhelmed and I can't process any of the emotions I'm feeling and I just feel... done. I just want to leave and go to Rose's and lay with her and have her hold me. I just want Rose. But what if Rose doesn't want me anymore? This thought brings about a whole new round of heart-wrenching sobs that take my breath away and I eventually just bury my head into my pillow and cry. It seems like that's all I've done in the past 24 hours.

I hear a knock on the door and groan internally, knowing that it's another nurse here to ask if I'm ready for my exam yet. They fail to realize that I will never be ready for the exam and they should just stop asking. Courtney yells out a come in and I hear the door open through my sobs.

"B?" I hear the one voice that I've been dying to hear all day ask and all I can think as my head snaps up is:

_Rosalie_.

I jump out of bed and throw myself at her, burying my face into her chest and inhaling her scent deeply, loving how it smells so familiar. I wrap my arms around her waste and hold on tightly, sobbing into her chest. She wraps her arms tightly around me and buries her face in my hair seemingly taking in my scent also. If we weren't in a moment like this I'd probably think it was weird that we're sniffing each other, but right now I really just don't care.

"I'm so sorry." Is all she whispers over and over again and I feel confused I have no idea what she's talking about, but I don't question because she's here and that is literally all that matters to me at the moment.

I hear Courtney clear her throat, effectively ruining the moment. We pull away slightly, but not completely from one another and turn to Courtney.

"Hi, I'm Courtney Swan and you are...?" Courtney introduces herself to Rosalie. Rosalie puts her hand out and places it in Courtney's shaking gently.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Rosalie Hale." Rosalie says politely and it's obvious Courtney wants to ask more, but thankfully she refrains. Instead Courtney turns to me and says, "Bella, I'm going to go get the nurse and tell her you're ready for your exam, okay?"

"I said no!" I cry tearfully. I chuckle humorlessly. "Why doesn't anyone understand that no means no lately?"

The room is filled with an intense silence as me and Courtney have a stare down, Rosalie just a by-stander.

"I'm 18. You can't force me to do anything." I say finally, tears still running down my face.

"So you're just going to let him go free? Do you _want_ him to do it again? I bet you _loved_ it _so_ _much_ the first time." A sob escapes me and I let my hand come up and cover my mouth. I don't care that it was sarcastic, all I care is that it stings like a bitch. I watch as guilt immediately fills her face and speaks quickly.

"Bella, I-"

"Get the hell out." Rosalie says, her voice deathly calm and I look over at her only to see that her face is completely cold.

"I'm so sorry, honey. I'll be back later." She says quietly before exiting the room.

I grab Rosalie's hand and walk over to the bed climbing in and pulling her down next to, which she more than willingly does. I bury my face in her neck and cuddle into her.

"Today sucks." I say quietly into her neck, placing a lingering kiss there after I finish speaking.

"I'm sorry." She say before continuing after a brief pause, "Why won't you do the exam?" She asks quietly while stroking my hair lovingly.

"I don't want anyone... down there. It's awkward and humiliating and I think I've had enough of that for a while. You know?" I say quietly.

"I know, sweetheart. It's awkward and horrible and you'll count the seconds until it's over, but if that's what it takes to make him pay then I think it's worth it. No one and I mean _no_ _one_ has the right to touch you like that if you say no and you don't give them permission. That is never okay. No means no. He understood that what he was doing was wrong and yet he did it anyway so, yes, he belongs behind bars. The exam will help put him there, okay?" She states strongly. I nod into her neck and she hugs a little tighter.

"Will you stay with me?" I ask quietly, while pulling back and looking into her eyes. She nods with a sad smile before answering.

"I'll stay with you."

Review.

Soooo... I'm so sorry. I've been busy with dance camp and my dance team and I had major writer's block and I was like legit procrastinating for a very long time but now I'm back and I promise I'll never keep you waiting that long ever again. K? K. And quite honestly I don't even really like this chapter I think it's boring and stupid but whatever tell me what you think.


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

_Three-thousand seven hundred eighteen. Three-thousand seven hundred nineteen. Three-thousand seven hundred twenty. _

"Ow!" I sob loudly as the nurse places a wide object inside of me. "You're hurting me!" I cry pathetically, squeezing my eyes shut in pain and discomfort.

_Three-thousand seven hundred thirty four. Three-thousand seven hundred thirty five. Three-thousand seven hundred thirty six. Three-thousand seven hundred thirty seven._

Rosalie leans down from her place beside me and places a lingering kiss on my forehead, not letting go of my hand that she's been holding since the exam started.

"Almost done, sweetheart. You're doing _so_ amazing." She whispers into my forehead and I can hear that her voice is strained. Before I can think more of it though the nurse moves the object inside me and I let out another pained sob. "Almost done, sweetheart. I'm so sorry. Almost finished."

_Three-thousand seven hundred sixty one. Three-thousand seven hundred sixty two. Three-thousand seven hundred sixty three. Three-thousand seven hundred sixty four. Three-thousand seven hundred sixty five._

"All done, doll." The nurse says gently, removing the object and her gloves before standing up from where she sat on a stool between my open legs. "You did great."

Three-thousand seven hundred sixty five seconds. Around sixty-two minutes. Over an hour that I have been sitting in this chair, reclined with my legs spread wide open and my most intimate place exposed while a stranger prodded around painfully.

I nod my head at her with teary eyes and squeeze Rosalie's hand tighter, drawing strength from her presence alone. I glance at her out the corner of my eye and frown. She's been by my side this whole time, yet I feel like she's so far away. Her eyes are pained and distant and her posture is extremely rigid. I feel horrible for putting this amount of stress on her and I instantly hate myself for being so weak and not being able to handle this on my own. She's my girlfriend not my caretaker and it's selfish of me to drag her through this situation with me.

"You can get dressed again, doll." She says while opening the door and exiting with a box in her hands.

I sit up slowly and try to ignore the throbbing pain between my legs. I almost get up before I remember that the paper gown is open backed and I am naked underneath. My gaze moves to Rosalie, who is already making her way to the door.

"I'll be right outside, okay?" She says gently, hand already on the door knob, pulling it open and stepping through. I nod and she steps the rest of the way through the door, quietly closing it behind her.

The silence left in her wake is almost deafening. It's one of those silences that is so quiet that it actually resembles a ringing in your ears. I can hear almost hear his voice. I can almost feel his hands. It's like he now lives in my head and I can never escape him.

I quickly, but gently, get up and dress into the clothes that I had on earlier, eager to get out of this room and escape the silence and reveling in the comfort that being covered gives me. While I'm pulling my socks on there's a knock on the door and before I can tell whoever it is to come in, the door swings open.

A tall, handsome man steps in and I immediately recognize the gentle, smiling face of Carlisle Cullen. He is dressed in his scrubs so I assume that he is on the job at the moment.

"Hello, Bella." Carlisle's smooth voice says quietly. "How are you? I've been informed that you've had a very... eventful day."

"I'm fine." I say quietly, wringing my hands in my lap nervously. I don't know why, but the fact that Carlisle knows embarrasses me immensely. I care a lot about what he thinks about me, considering the fact that Rosalie absolutely adores her uncle.

"Really?" He says calmly. "Interesting. Usually people in your situation are far from fine. Usually they feel out of control, helpless, overwhelmed. Tell me, Bella, how do you feel?"

"Fine." I say quietly again, surprising myself a little with the vulnerability that is in my voice. His words are definitely hitting home.

"Huh." He muses while walking over to the bed and having a seat on the edge. My eyes follow his every movement wondering what his motives are. "Rosalie seems to think otherwise. You and her really need to have a talk, Bella. She knows a lot more about what you're feeling than you give her credit for. Let her help you."

I continue to stare at him quietly, wondering where he is going with this and how much he knows.

"Rosalie tells me everything, you know. Which means she has told me exactly how much you mean to her, which is a lot. She loves you so much and I know it's hurting her to see you in this position. All she wants to do is be there for you. Let her." He says gently while searching my eyes, which are rapidly filling with tears, with his. I desperately try and push them back, but like a lot of things lately, I'm not strong enough.

I sit down on the bed next to Carlisle and bury my face in my hands, the heels of my palms digging into my eyes. I start taking deep slow breaths, desperately trying to calm myself. I hear the door open quietly and the sound of someones heels clicking towards the bed fills my ears. Strong, warm arms wrap around me and Rosalie's scent fills my senses, offering comfort that I desperately need.

"Thank you." I hear her whisper to Carlisle and I feel his his weight leave the bed and his shoes walk towards the door. The door opens and closes and then we're left in silence.

I feel her hand underneath my chin, gently lifting my head up so that my eyes meet hers and her stare is intense. Her eyes flicker down to my lips and she leans in slowly, watching me cautiously. I immediately turn my head away and shake my head no, silently telling her not to kiss me. I haven't washed or brushed my teeth since it happened and I refuse to let her kiss me until it happens.

"Okay." She soothes simply and pulls me back into her chest, letting me snuggle into her.

"I want my mom." I whisper quietly and her chest and I can almost see her brows furrowing in confusion, probably wondering why I would want Renee.

_Not in a million years._

"I want Courtney." I clarify quietly.

"Okay, sweetheart. Come on. Let's go find her." She takes my hand and gently leads me out of the room and we begin walking in the halls in search of Courtney.

"What time is it?" I ask quietly, noticing that all the windows we've past have been dark.

"Uhh..." She says while grabbing her phone from her back pocket. "Almost 9."

"I want to go home. When can I go home?" I say as a huge yawn rips through me. I can see her look at me sympathetically briefly before turning forward again and squeezing my hand quickly.

We turn the corner and I immediately spot Courtney's head of blonde hair. She is deep in conversation with a tall, dark haired man in a suit and she looks very frustrated. Her hair is is mussed and it's obvious that she's been running her hands through, a habit that I hadn't noticed til recently that I picked up from her. Rosalie and I make our way towards her and stop when we reach her. Rosalie's phone begins to ring and she takes it out of her back pocket and looks at me, as if asking if it's okay to answer it. I nod my head and smile gently at her, letting her know it's fine. I let go of Rosalie's hand and she walks down the hallway, answering her phone. I immediately bury myself in Courtney's arms, not giving a fuck about our argument. I snuggle my face into her neck and close my eyes, feeling the exhaustion starting to creep in.

"Hi, hon." She says lovingly, briefly stroking my hair and wrapping her arms around me. I hold her tighter not having any intention of letting go anytime soon. She continues her conversation with the man in front of her, me still wrapped in her arms. "Like I was saying. I just really need you to be on top of your game for this case Andrew if it even goes to court."

"I understand that Courtney, but you're expecting me to drop all of my other cases for this one." He says calmly, almost like he's used to dealing with a stressed Courtney.

"I'll pay you whatever you want. Just get it done." She says with an air of finality in her tone, obviously declaring the conversation over.

"Fine, but I'll need to start tonight so I need you at the office tonight." He says finally after a few moments of silence.

"You know that's not possible tonight, Andrew." She says, obviously hinting towards me. "I'm not going to leave Bella by herself. Not happening."

"She could stay with me." I hear Rosalie's voice say smoothly. I take my head out of Courtney's neck and glance at her with my eyes slightly widened, to which she just smiles gently at me, as if she isn't basically outing our relationship to Courtney.

"Uhh..." She hesitates, obviously not wanting to leave me. "How exactly do you know, Bella?"

"I'm her teacher. Bella and I have grown really close over the course of the year. She's also my student aid." She explains calmly.

_Oh, she's good._

"Oh. You look a little young to be a teacher." Courtney says thoughtfully. "How old are you exactly?"

"I get that a lot." Rosalie says with a chuckle. "I'm 24."

"Bella? Are you okay staying with Rosalie for the night? I really hate to leave you like this, but Andrew here needs my help with your case." She trails off worriedly.

I merely nod my head sleepily into her chest, the exhaustion of the day really starting to catch up to me.

"I'm going to give you my number in case you need anything and call me if anything goes wrong, please." Courtney says addressing Rosalie, who merely smiles in reply.

"I'll get your number from Bella, Courtney. Honestly, it's no trouble. I absolutely love Bella." _If only she knew how much,_ I think with a chuckle.

"Okay. Um.. She'll need to go back to the house to get a few things and to get her car. I'll call the school and tell them she won't be in tomorrow and to excuse her absence for today. You don't mind missing work tomorrow do you? And um..." She rambles and I honestly can't help but laugh because I've never seen Courtney ramble.

"Okay, Courtney. I'll be okay." I say looking into her eyes, making it clear that my words have a deeper meaning.

"Okay." She breathes before pulling me in impossibly closer to her. I snuggle into her and squeeze, wanting to offer her some kind of comfort, knowing she needs some too.

"Do you have my phone?" I ask her once I finally pull back from her embrace. I honestly just realized that I haven't had my phone for most of the day.

She smiles before reaching into her purse that is sitting on the end-table in the hallway we're standing, her hand coming out holding my cellphone.

"Thanks." I say, putting it in the front pouch of my sweatshirt. I don't even bother checking because I know that even if I do have messages and missed calls I probably won't answer them for a while anyway.

"I'm going to go and sign you out, okay? I'll be right back." She says, already walking backwards down the hallway, turning around when I nod sleepily at her.

I walk over to the wall and lean my shoulder and head against it, closing my eyes and letting out a deep breath. My mind is so fuzzy and I'm almost grateful for it because it's better than thinking. So much better. If I think then I'll remember and that is the last thing I want to do. All I want to do is go home with Rosalie and have her hold me. And sleep. Yes, definitely sleep. I don't think I've ever been so exhausted. I got about 5 hours of interrupted sleep last night.

I jump when I feel a hand on the small of my back and I turn around to find Rosalie's worried face smiling gently at me. I relax when I realize it's her and almost go to bury my face in her neck before I realize where we are, in public. She seems to notice my internal struggle and realization because her face adopts a sympathetic, understanding expression.

Our moment is interrupted by Courtney coming and we both turn around to face her. It's then that I realize she herself looks. Her eyes have bags underneath them and her normally perfectly curled platinum blonde hair looks slightly limp. I instantly feel bad for putting her through all of this stress.

"You're free to go." She says playfully, coming forward to hug me tightly again, kissing my cheek as she pulls away. "Call me tonight, yes?"

I nod at her with a small smile and watch as she walks away towards Andrew, both of them then proceeding to walk away together. I turn to Rosalie and wait for her instruction.

"Emmett is waiting downstairs for us." She say when she notices my gaze. She grabs my hand and pulls us towards the elevator, pressing the button and waiting patiently. The doors open and we step inside the surprisingly empty elevator. Rosalie presses the button for the lobby and the doors close behind us, leaving us in a deafening silence, aside from the elevator music that's playing. I can know that there is so much both of us need to say, but now is not the place for it so I decide to leave it.

When we finally reach the lobby, I immediately spot Emmett's huge figure standing by the doors and Rosalie and I make our way over to him. I don't miss the way Emmett's eyes worriedly linger on Rosalie before he composes himself and greets us.

"Bella's going to be staying with me tonight, so I'm just going to swing by her place and then head back to mine. We'll see you tomorrow, Em." She says quickly, before pulling me out of the doors and into the parking lot, obviously avoiding talking to long with Emmett.

We get to her Range Rover and I walk around to my side, after refusing Rosalie's help, and try with much difficulty to hop up into the huge vehicle. My 5'3 frame isn't helping me at all today. I finally get into the passenger seat and find Rosalie already buckled and settled, obviously suppressing a laugh at my earlier struggle.

"Ha. Ha." I say dryly with a smile on my face, buckling my seat-belt. "Shut up and drive, Gigantor."

She chuckles and starts the car. "Ooh. Low blow."

"Was that a short joke?" I ask after a few moments of silence, to which she only laughs and reaches over to turn on some music.

A familiar tune fills the car and I see Rosalie smile out of the corner of my eye. It always amazes me that she literally seems to know every song that comes on the radio. Whether it be pop, country, rap, r&b, hip hop, or any other genre you can think of, Rosalie knows it.

_When I was in the third grade I thought that I was gay,_

_'cause I could draw, my uncle was and I kept my room straight. _

_I told my mom tears rushin' down my face,_

_She's like "Ben you've loved girls since before pre-k."_

_Trippin'._

_Yeah I guess she had a point didn't she?_

_Bunch of stereotypes all in my head._

_I remember doin' the math like yeah I'm good a little league._

_A preconceived idea of what it all meant._

I find my self looking at Rosalie incredulously while I watch her rap along to the song word-for-word. She has taken one hand off of the steering wheel and has began to wave it around in a classic 'rapper' manner as she raps along passionately to the song, obviously over-exaggerating for my benefit. There's a huge smile on her face and I can't help but smile back because despite everything that's going on it's moments like these that keep me going. Rosalie keeps me going.

_For those that like the same sex, _

_have the characteristics._

_The right-wing conservatives think it's a decision_

_and you can be cured with some treatment and religion._

_Playing God._

_Ah naw, here we go._

_America the brave, still fears what we don't know._

_And "God loves all his children" is somehow forgotten._

_But we paraphrase a book written 35 hundred years ago._

_I don't know._

I don't know when I started to laugh, but I'm in hysterics by the time the chorus comes. Rosalie has taken to poking out her lips in the typical 'duck face' pose and rolling her neck and singing the chorus passionately along with the chorus. Even though she looks absolutely ridiculous it amazes me how fucking gorgeous she still manages to look. This is my girlfriend and I love it and I love her. My silly, gorgeous, amazing girlfriend and I wouldn't have it any other way.

By the time we pull into my driveway the song is over and Rosalie is now singing along to Selena Gomez's 'Come & Get It'. How she knows this song is beyond me.

We both hop out of the car and I pull my keys out of my pocket as I wait for Rosalie to join me on my side of the car. We walk hand in hand to the front door and I unlock it with shaking hands, already dreading what being back in my room will bring up. Rosalie looks around with her eyebrows raised as we walk into the house, the door slamming shut behind us. I turn on lights as we walk through the house, knowing exactly how creepy it is when the lights are off.

"This is a really nice house." She says offhandedly. "Very big."

I simply shrug as I lead us both up the hue staircase, not really effected by the largeness of my house anymore, having gotten used to living in large houses.

When we reach my door I hesitate outside of it, not wanting to go inside. Rosalie seems to sense my hesitancy, but doesn't comment on it. She simply waits patiently next me with her hand in mine.

I finally gathe rup enough courage and my hand shakily reaches for the knob, turning it and stepping inside. I immediately notice that the sheets are changed on my bed and it is perfectly made and my room looks a lot tidier. Obviously the maid came and cleaned up and I'm really grateful for that. I can see Rosalie walking around my large room and examining all of my pictures and knickknacks. I move to my closet and walk inside, searching for one of my duffel bags.

"You were an adorable kid, B." I hear Rosalie coo, obviously having seen the pictures of me as a toddler on my bulletin board, as I finally find my blue floral PINK duffel bag. I'm starting to think I have an obsession with Victoria's Secret.

I exit the closet and throw the duffel bag on my bed, glancing at Rosalie's form hovering near my dresser obviously looking at my pictures. I chuckle before I move towards my dresser, standing next to Rosalie, and start opening drawers and pulling out clothes. I grab underwear, sock, bras and pajamas before moving back to my bed and throwing them into my bag. I then move back toward my closet and study the huge amounts of clothes in there before grabbing sweatpants, yoga pants, hoodies, t-shirts, beanies, jeans, pumps, converse, vans, and TOMS. I come out with all of this in my hands and throw them into the bag also.

"Are you sleeping over or moving in?" Rosalie says playfully as she makes her way into my closet. I scoff at her playfully before moving into my bathroom and looking under the sink for my make up and toiletries bags, finding them easily since everything has a place in my room and bathroom.

"A girl needs options." I call out playfully as I begin to put my make-up and toiletries into my bags.

"We really need to go shopping together, B. I love your taste." I hear Rosalie's approving voice call from somewhere in my closet.

I laugh softly before walking out of my bathroom, both bags in hand and place them both into my duffel bag. I then re-enter the bathroom and for the first time in over 24 hours, I look at my reflection. My eyes fill with tears immediately.

There's a faint bruise on my face from where he held his hand roughly over my mouth and I have horrible bags under my green eyes. My hair is a curly mess and looks like it has never been introduced to a comb.

I turn away from the mirror quickly and my breaths become shallower. My chest feels tight and all I can her is his voice in my head. Telling me what a good girl I am and how beautiful I've become. I press the heels of my hands into my eyes, willing his voice to go away. After a few minutes of standing in the middle of the bathroom breathing deeply, I take my hands down from my face and walk out of my bathroom, turning the lights off on my way out. I quickly zip up my bag and walk towards the door, stopping at the door and looking at Rosalie desperately.

"You okay, sweetheart?" She ask worriedly, leaning on the door jam of my closet.

I simply shake my head and bite my lip, averting my gaze to the door.

"I wanna go now." I say quietly before walking out the door and jogging down the stairs. I make it to the front door and Rosalie finally catches up to me. She merely grabs my hand and leads me out of the door, closing it behind us. I turn around and lock the door behind us before letting go of Rosalie's hand and walking towards the car. I place my things in the backseat before hopping into the front seat, again with much difficulty. Rosalie starts the car silently and then pulls out of the driveway and onto the main road. Her hand reaches over and grabs mine, resting our joined hands on the console and offering me comfort, which I gladly take.

When we finally make it into her apartment I honestly feel like I could pass out at any moment, I'm so exhausted. Despite my shitty mood, a smile is instantly brought to my face when Riley comes bounding up to me. Her tongue is hanging out of the side of her mouth as she jumps up on my and starts licking and piece of skin she can reach. I love it.

"Hey, Riley!" I say in my 'baby voice' and I hear Rosalie chuckle as she walks past me and into the kitchen.

"I swear she loves you more than she loves me." She calls out and I can hear her rummaging around in the fridge.

"Say 'tough shit, mommy!'. Yeah! Tough shit!" I say as I lovingly pet Riley's head and ears.

"Real nice, B." She says as I hear the water turn on and I laugh at her sarcastic tone of voice.

I stand up straight and begin to walk towards the guest room, duffel bag in hand, intent on taking a shower. I feel filthy. I walk into the bathroom and grab a towel out of the closet, knowing exactly where everything is already. I turn the shower on scorching hot and I am just finishing brushing my teeth when there is a knock on the door. I open it to find Rosalie standing there.

"Yeah?"

"Leave the door open, please." It isn't a question, it's a statement.

"What?" I say as I raise an eyebrow at her as a confused smile slowly creeps it's way onto my face.

"Not like that, pervert. Just... it'll give me a piece of mind, okay?" She says slowly and there's something in her eyes that I can't put my finger on.

"Uhh.. okay." I say slowly and watch her confusedly as she walks away and goes back into the kitchen. I scoff quietly as soon as she disappears and gently close the door to the bathroom, locking it. There is literally no way I'm showering with the door open. It definitely won't make me feel safe and I'm fucking gonna be fucking naked in here. Just no. Why doesn't she trust me anyway? Isn't that a _big_ part in any relationship? Whatever.

I quickly strip and hop into the shower, the scorching hot water almost immediately turning my skin red. I grab a washcloth and some body-wash and start furiously scrubbing my body. My skin is turning red and my eyes are welling with tears, both from the pain and from the intensity of this moment. I seriously have been anticipating this shower all day and now I just can't seem to get clean enough? Why won't it come off?

A sob escapes me and I sit down on the floor of the shower, letting the water run over my head. I bring my knees up to my chest and bury my face in them sobbing into them.

"Bella?!" I hear Rosalie call as she pounds on the door. "Open the door, sweetheart."

I can't bring myself to answer right away because I'm trying to suppress my sobs, obviously to Rosalie that is a sign that I have drowned in the shower or fell down the drain.

"Bella I'm not fucking kidding! Open the door!" My eyebrows raise at the curse word since Rosalie barely ever curses and at how choked up her voice sounds and I wince when it cracks near the end. I quickly stand and hop out the shower, moving faster to wrap the towel around myself when I hear Riley barking outside of the door. Once my towel is securely wrapped around me I rush towards the door, unlocking it and opening it quickly. I'm immediately immersed in a mane of blonde hair and arms wrapping tightly around me.

"You can't do that! Don't _fucking_ do that to me!" She cries into my shoulder and I immediately feel like shit for causing that type of pain and panic to enter her voice.

"It's okay. It's okay. Calm down, Rose." I soothe her as I rub her back and kiss her head. She simply shakes her head into my shoulder and continues to cry. Obviously this is something so much deeper than just a bathroom door being locked.

When she finally calms down I gently pull back from her and study her face. Her eyes are slightly red and her brow is furrowed.

"Come on." I say quietly and gently, while pulling her in the direction of the guest room, closing the door behind us once we're in. I walk over to my bag and pull out a lacy bra and underwear set, pink and blue tie dye Nike Pro spanks and an oversized, black TRUCKFIT sweatshirt. I also grab a bottle of lotion from my toiletries bag and place all the things on the bed.

"Close your eyes." I say quietly to Rosalie, who has taken it upon herself to sit on the bed with her legs crossed. She complies and I quickly put on lotion and pull on my clothes, reveling in how good it feels to be showered and smelling good.

"Open." I say as I rummage through my toiletry bag and pull out a comb and a brush. I walk over to the dress, which has a mirror and begin the task that is doing my hair. As I'm working through my wet, tangled curls I glance through the mirror at Rosalie, who hasn't moved from her position on the bed.

"What's going on?" I finally ask her, breaking the silence.

"I just.." She says a moment of silence. "I got scared. I thought that maybe you had hurt yourself in the bathroom. That maybe today was too much for you and that maybe I wasn't enough to keep you grounded."

I immediately tie my hair up into a high ponytail, where it still falls past mid-back, and place my brush down and walk over to her, straddling her waste and wrapping my arms around her neck and smiling softly when she wraps her legs around my waste.

"What's really going on?" I whisper softly, my eyes searching her deep electric blues.

"I have to tell you something." She whispers tearfully. "I umm... when I was younger I was taken away from my parents because my dad... he umm... he was hurting me like your dad hurt you last night and umm... I went to live with my Aunt Esme and Uncle Carlisle and it took me so long to be okay again, you know? And to see you going through the same thing I just.. I can't." She chokes out and I immediately start placing kisses all over her face, trying to offer her some kind of comfort.

"I just feel so damn guilty because I sent you back there and I knew there was a possibility that you could get hurt and I just sent you back and I just... I'm so sorry. I love you so much and I'm so sorry, Bella." She sobs out and I can feel tears running down my face as I bring her face into my neck and start stroking her hair and rubbing her back while quietly shushing her.

"Rose, it's not your fault. Either situation. I'm sorry that happened and I promise that if I ever meet your dad I will inflict as much pain as possible on him. I'm really sorry that I put you in that position and I'm so sorry that you feel like this. It's not your fault. I don't blame you at all. I love you and you are the only reason that I'm going to try to get past this. I love you so much." I say passionately into her ear as she holds me tightly around me waste, obviously needing comfort.

"I can't lose you, B. I can't." She say desperately into my neck. "I've come too close too many times and I just can't take anymore chances."

I immediately understand where she's coming from and hold her tighter. She's right. I've been forcing her to be a bystander while I was being hurt and I honestly feel horrible thinking of how she must have felt and still feels.

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here." I try to reassure her gently.

She pulls her head back from my neck and looks me in the eyes. "Promise?"

"Promise."

Review!

Holy shit! It took me forever to write this! I kept re-writing it over and over and changing things but I finally decided on this after like forever and I still hate it. Whatever. Review please. They keep me alive.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight.

When I first awake I feel a warm presence pressing tightly into my front and I feel the panic begin to rise inside of me. I swiftly open my eyes, expecting to find him on top of me again, only to be met with an unfamiliar ceiling. I sit up quickly and whoever is on top of me falls to the side and I quickly look over and sigh with relief.

_Rosalie._

Blue eyes shoot open and she sits up groggily, brushing her hair out of her face. Our eyes lock and she smiles softly, something I return, and reaches over and pulls me into her chest, laying down in the process. It's still dark outside so I snuggle back into her chest and breath in her familiar scent, taking great comfort from it. I close my eyes and immediately feel myself drifting off.

Xx.

_I can't move. _

_I can't breathe. _

_There's a weight on top of me, rocking back and forth and I feel like it's suffocating me. My eyes shoot open and I'm immediately met with the face of my father. My mouth tries to open, a scream ready to tumble out but it gets stuck in my throat and I feel as though I'm choking on it. _

"_I like your friend, Bella." He whispers into my ear and it's then that I realize that he's _inside_ of me. I try to move and fight him but my body won't cooperate and my mind is scrambling to figure out who he's talking about. His hand comes up to my face and he pushes it to the side and it's then that I realize that we are in my room and Rosalie is laying next to me, clad in only her bra and underwear, duct-tape holding her mouth closed. Her face is illuminated by a dim light that's coming from somewhere in the room that I can't see and don't care to. Her eyes are rimmed red and she's crying and looking at me helplessly as if she's asking me to help her. _

_But I can't._

_Dad climbs off of me and suddenly he's climbing on top of her and she begins to scream and thrash and I can't bring myself to look away and I can't move my body and I hate this. _

"_Bella!" She screams and I have never felt a pain like this. "Please help, Bella! Why won't you help me?" _

_Charlie finally gets her underwear off and I hate knowing what's going to come next. _

_He's in her._

_I can tell because her screams and sobs have increased in volume and so has the pain in my chest. He's looking directly at me now and I hate the smug look in his eyes._

"_This is all your fault." He says and then begins to repeat it over and over and over. Then Rosalie joins in and they repeat it together in unison over and over, Rosalie's voice sounding horribly broken._

_This is all my fault._

Xx.

The next time I wake up it's to the smell of bacon, the absence of Rosalie's presence and the sound of my screaming. I sit up quickly and push my mane of hair away from my face, sobbing and crying into my hands. My legs swing off the side of the bed and land almost silently on the floor as I run towards Rosalie's bathroom. I find myself hunched over the toilet, dry-heaving loudly and painfully. Seconds later I feel hands on my back and hair, attempting to hold it away from my face, and I flinch violently away from them.

"Shh." I hear Rosalie soothe, as she gently regathers my hair into her hands. "It's just me, Bella."

As soon as I finish I spin around and throw myself into her arms, sobbing loudly and painfully and struggling to breathe. All I can hear is their combined voices in my head, repeating that it's my fault over and over again. What if it really happens? It would be my fault completely. My thoughts are literally racing and there's a horrible pain in my chest. I clutch at it and begin coughing frantically, trying to catch my breath since I feel like someone is choking me.

"I can't breathe." I cough out, tears running out my face and a sob mixing in with my cough. The room is starting to spin and I can't focus on anything.

"Bella, sweetheart, can you hear me?" I nod at her question. "Okay good. I need you to breathe for me, can you do that?" I shake my head. "Yes you can. Just breathe with me." I feel her bring my head to her chest and begin to breathe deeply and I try my best to follow her breathing pattern, but I feel my panic increase as I realize it isn't working and my breathing speeds up even more.

"No, no. Bella I need you to calm down, sweetheart. _Breathe_ _with_ _me_." She says firmly and begins to rub my back, all the while never breaking her breathing pattern. I begin to try and follow her breathing pattern and after a while I feel my heart begin to slow and my chest begin to loosen. "Better?"

"Yeah." I say, my voice still a little raspy. I stand up shakily and walk to the sink, splashing water on my face and grasping the edge of the sink. I grab the face towel and dry my face before turning around and pressing my lips to Rosalie's firmly. She hesitates for a second before moving her lips against mine slowly but firmly. I run my tongue along her bottom lip, begging for entrance and almost faint when she grants it. A breathy moan escapes Rosalie's mouth and I think it's the sexiest thing I've ever heard. The kiss deepens and before I know what's happening Rosalie's hands are gripping the bottom of my thighs and hoisting me up and onto the counter. My legs wrap around her waist and my hands bury themselves in her hair while hers find purchase on my hips. She gently nips my bottom lip and I moan and let my hands slip down and cover her breasts. I give them a firm squirm squeeze and Rosalie breaks away from my lips to let out a strangled moan. The she's gone from me completely.

Rosalie is standing a few feet back from me, looking incredibly turned on. Her eyes have darkened considerably and her cheeks are flushed.

"Not a good idea, Bella." She says, her voice noticeably deeper. "I'd rather wait until you're fully healed and what happened isn't so fresh. And considering the panic attack you just had, I'd say things are still very fresh."

I merely avoid eye contact with her and let the feeling of rejection wash over me in waves.

"Do you wanna tell me what happened?" I shrug and hop down from the counter and go to pass her to walk back into the bedroom but she stops me and looks at me pleadingly. "Stop it. Don't be upset with me, please."

I let out a long, drown out sigh and shrug my shoulders. If I tell her what happened in the nightmare, I'll run the risk of upsetting her or freaking her out so I mind as well just keep it to myself. "It was just a nightmare."

"Do you wanna tell me about it?" I merely shake my head, indicating that I don't want to tell her. "Please? It could help."

"He did it again." Is all I whisper and she nods at me, sadness in her eyes, encouraging me to continue. "I couldn't move and I couldn't scream and then..." I stop and sniffle, covering my face with my hands to try and stop the inevitable tears that I can feel begging for release. "You were there and he did it to you too. You kept looking at me and screaming for me to help you and asking why I wouldn't help. I felt so bad. T-then he told me it was my fault and then y-you told me it was my fault and-" I hand to stop because my voice began cracking and my tears were taking over.

"Oh, sweetheart." She coos as she takes me into her arms and places a kiss on my hair. "It's not your fault."

"It feels like it is." I say tearfully into her neck. "I keep on thinking about all the t-things I could've done differently and once it all adds up I just feel so _stupid_ because there's so much that I could've done to stop it and I didn't and it _sucks_. God it really fucking sucks."

"I know, B." She whispers to me gently as she rubs my back soothingly. "It's going to be okay. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure it's okay. Alright?" I nod against her neck because I believe every word she just said.

"Good." She pulls back from me and wipes the tears off of my face. "I'm going to go finish breakfast, okay? Come out when you're ready." I nod silently and watch as she walks out of the bathroom.

I turn to the mirror once she's gone and just stare at my reflection. I don't recognize the girl that stares back at me. I don't think she's as beautiful as everyone says she is. I don't think she's as strong as she likes to think she is. She's staring back at me and she looks so sad and I hate her for it because she put herself in this situation. It's all her fault. I hate her.

I quickly turn around and walk quietly into the kitchen, where I find Rosalie standing at the stove frying bacon. I take in her messy bun, big sweatshirt and bare feet and can't help but think she's the most beautiful thing ever. Why does she want me?

Last night and this morning were both extremely emotional and I honestly have never had so much respect for one person. She's literally one of the strongest people I've met. I honestly don't know how she does it because it's been less than three days and I'm already ready to give up. I envy her because it honestly seems like she has all the answers and everything together. She's gorgeous and intelligent and rational and mature and I'm just not. I'm not any of those things but yet here we are, together. She's one of the only things holding me together and I'm not going to ruin it by doubting her love for me.

"Hey, B." She says without turning around. "I figured you'd be starving. Have a seat."

I quietly walk over to the stools at the island and have a seat. I watch her walk around the kitchen and grab two plates and fill them with pancakes, eggs, toast and bacon, obviously expecting me to eat with her.

_Ugh_.

She places a plate in front of me and I smile softly at her in thanks, even though I'm sure it looks more like a grimace. She sits across from me and begins eating and I just stare at the plate like it's going to jump up and eat _me_.

"When did you wake up?" I ask her suddenly, not liking the silence that is surrounding us. She finishes chewing before she answers.

"About an hour ago. You looked exhausted so I let you sleep." She says offhandedly.

"Oh." I mumble and continue to stare at my plate. I eventually pick up my fork and begin to push the food around, trying to make it look like I've eaten something. It's not that I'm trying to be difficult, I just don't find food very appealing right now. "I'm actually not really hungry, Rose."

"You haven't eaten since the day before yesterday. Eat." Her voice is firm and I can tell she's in a no bullshit kind of mood, but so am I.

"Well I'm not hungry so..." I say with an attitude and let the sentence hang in the air as I get up out of my chair and begin to walk back towards the bedroom. Before I can take three steps Rosalie suddenly next to me, gently but firmly grabbing my arm and pushing me back into my chair.

"We aren't doing this today, Bella." She says firmly while still holding my arm and maintaining eye contact. "_Eat_ _something_."

I wordlessly snatch a piece of bacon off of my plate and take a bite of it, chewing and swallowing it quietly while maintaining eye contact. She lets go of my arm and sits back in her seat, quietly finishing her breakfast along with me. I don't come anywhere close to clearing my plate of everything, but obviously it's enough to satisfy Rosalie because she doesn't say anything, the eggs remain untouched though because I hate eggs and there's a special place in hell for them and I'd rather starve then eat them. Rosalie gathers our plates silently once we're finished and places them in the seat before walking back into her bedroom and closing the door behind her.

I sigh and get up before making my way towards the door and knocking gently, entering when I don't get a response. I find Rosalie laying on the bed facing the ceiling. My feet barely make and sound as I walk over to her and straddle her waist. I lean over and bury my face in her neck and let myself be enveloped by her scent as she wraps her arms around my waist.

"I'm sorry. I'm trying." I whisper in to her neck, placing a soft kiss on it when I'm done speaking. I feel Rose's hand slide under the bottom of my sweatshirt and caress my lower back, fingers dipping into the dimples that lie there.

"I know." Is all she whispers back, placing a kiss on the top of my head.

Hours later, Rosalie and I are cuddling in bed watching _Monsters_ _University_ on her flat screen. I don't know if what we've been doing could be called 'watching' though. We've been goofing off and stealing kisses throughout the entire movie. When her phone begins to ring Rosalie sits up to grab it and I groan in protest, immediately missing her body heat. She chuckles and mumbles a 'stop it' while grabbing her phone and checking the caller I.D..

"Hello?" She answers and I stare up at her curiously from my position of laying next to to her hip.

"Oh hey, Kate. How are you?" She says cheerfully and I wonder who Kate is and why she's calling. There's a pause as Rosalie listens to whatever Kate has to say to her.

"Oh, now?" Another pause. "Do you need me to go get her or are you going to stop by with her?" Pause. "Okay. I'll be there in a little while. Bye." She hangs up the phone and Rosalie puts her phone back on her charger and turns towards me.

"Kate, Lily's mother, got called into work early and Emmett's working so I'm going to pick her up and keep her for the night. Do you want to ride with me?" She says while stroking my hair. I immediately nod and smile when I hear that Lily is coming over because from what I remember she's an adorable kid with no filter, kind of like me when I was younger. I get up out of bed grudgingly and mindlessly pull off my sweatshirt and throw it on the bed. Rosalie's eyes immediately darken and I smirk while blushing and turn to go and get clothes out of my bag.

"Tease." I hear her mutter and I let out a giggle and start to sort through my clothes, trying to pick out my outfit. I finally decide on light, vintage high-waisted skinny jeans, an oversized burgundy knit sweater, a black leather jacket and burgundy TOMS. I quickly run a comb through my hair and curse myself for not straightening it last night. I grab my make up bag and walk into the bathroom and begin to apply my make-up. While I'm applying my eye-liner and mascara, Rosalie walks into the bathroom and stands behind me, already dressed in skin tight beige pants, a plain, fitted white top, a leather jacket, burgundy scarf and black pumps. She wraps her arms around my waist and places a gentle kiss on my temple.

"Have I ever told you how much I love your wardrobe?" She says while fiddling innocently with the button on my pants. I merely shake my head with a smile and let out a shaky breath due to the things her fingers are doing. "Well I do. It's adorably sexy and vintage and chic and just... you. I love it."

"Thank you. I love your clothes too." I say simply while applying my concealer, almost beaming with pride. I put a lot of thought into my clothing because it means a lot to me. "I've always loved fashion, ever since I was little. I think I want to pursue it after high school. I'm not sure yet though."

Rosalie merely hums in response and watches as I apply red lipstick and rub my lips together slowly. I giggle and step back onto her feet and I hear her laugh behind me as she catches on to what I have in mind.

"Take me to the bedroom, gigantor!" I giggle to her and she tightens her hold on my waist and begins to walk with me on her feet to the bedroom.

"Shut up, dwarf." She says calmly. I playfully dig my nails into her hand. "Ow!" She cries playfully the mumbles, "You're a mean dwarf."

"You're mean. No more kisses for you." I say as I hop off of her feet pouting. She scoffs and re-enters the bathroom and I hear the clinking of materials on the bathroom counter.

"You couldn't do it even if you wanted to." I hear her say simply, her voice echoing in the bathroom, and laugh when she hears my mumbled 'whatever' as I look through my bag for a hat. She's right. "What's with all the make-up today, B?"

_I look better with it_.

"I don't know." Is all I say though, not want a self-esteem lecture. I hear her heels click against the floor as she walks out of the bathroom and I busy myself with putting on my black beanie, finishing off my outfit. I look over and I see that she's let her hair down and curled the ends. She looks hot.

"Ready?" She says as she grabs her phone off of the charger and grabs her purse and keys. I follow suit and grab my phone, wallet and keys before taking her outstretched hand and letting her lead me through the condo and out the front door.

Once we're settled in the car Rosalie starts it and pulls out of the parking lot. It isn't until we're about ten minutes into the drive that something hits me.

"Doesn't Lily live in the same building as you?" I ask her with an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, but her and her mother are at her mother's _lovely_ boyfriend's house in Port Angeles." She says and by the look on her face I can tell she doesn't like said boyfriend.

"What's wrong with him?" I ask curiously.

"Mike's such a deadbeat. Kate could do so much better." I simply nod at her reply, accepting that she's probably right in her judgments.

I reach over and plug in my phone searching through my music for something I wouldn't mind listening to and I finally stop over the _Yours_ _Truly_ album by Ariana Grande. It's one of my favorites right now. The intro to Honeymoon Avenue begins playing and I hum along with it and, surprise surprise, so does Rosalie.

"Is there any song that you don't know?" I ask her incredulously. She simply rolls her eyes at me and begins to sing along.

_I looked in my rear view mirror and  
It seemed to make a lot more sense  
Than what I see ahead of us, ahead of us, yeah.  
I'm ready to make that turn  
Before we both crash and burn  
Cause that could be the death of us, the death of us, baby _

I find myself singing along passionately with Rosalie and I see her smile at me, which encourages me to keep going.

_You know how to drive in rain  
And you decided not to make a change  
Stuck in the same old lane  
Going the wrong way home_

I feel like my heart is stuck in bumper to bumper traffic,  
I'm under pressure  
Cause I can't have you the way that I want  
Let's just go back to the way it was 

_When we were on Honeymoon Avenue__  
__Honeymoon Avenue__  
__Baby, coastin' like crazy__  
__Can we get back to the way it was?_

At some point I had grabbed Rosalie's hand and began to play with her fingers as I sang and watched the trees blur past the car window. I then reach over and grab Rosalie's phone and swipe the screen to unlock it. I access her camera and turn on the face camera. I smile at the camera and then take a picture, then I proceed to take about a dozen 'selfies' with different ridiculous faces.

"What in the world are you doing?" She asks with a laugh and I can't help but laugh with her.

"I'm gracing your phone with my gorgeous face." I say playfully and she rolls her eyes and stops at a red light and turns her head to face me.

"It really is a gorgeous face. I'll give you that." She says quietly, while smiling softly at me and stroking my hand with the hand I've been playing with for a while.

"Says the goddess." I say, plastering a small smile on my face, trying to brush off her compliment. Obviously she isn't going to let me though because she gently grabs my chin and turns my face towards hers.

"Don't do that. You're absolutely stunning, Bella. Honestly, sometimes I can't believe it. It's so effortless and shocking how gorgeous you are and it's just... wow. I wish you could see what I see." She seems so genuine and I feel like hugging her but the light turns green before I get the chance.

"Thank you." I say, choosing to drop the subject. I look out my window and grimace at the neighborhood we're in. The houses are small and run down and there are sketchy looking people loitering the streets. Don't get me wrong I don't look down on people who are less fortunate than me, but it bugs me that Lily's mother lives in the same building as Rosalie, which is very expensive, but chooses to let her daughter hang around here.

We pull up in front of a run down green and white house with several scary looking guys hanging out on the front porch. They're drinking beer and playing dice in a loud and obnoxious way and they eye Rosalie's car with a glint in their eyes when they notice us stop in front of the house.

"Wait here." Rosalie instructs me while taking off her seat-belt and removing the keys from the ignition.

"Can I come?" I ask pleadingly, glancing at the thugs on the porch warily. She seems to get where I'm coming from because she immediately follows my gaze and nods at me. We both exit the car and Rosalie meets me on my side, grabbing my hand in hers. We step up on the porch and I feel all of their eyes glued to us, like dogs salivating over their next meal.

"Mm. Mm. Mm." Says one of the guys as Rosalie knocks on the door loudly. "Hey, Blondie! You looking for somebody? I got all you need right here, baby."

I squeeze Rosalie's hand tightly because I can tell she's practically dying to retort something at this guy and I pray that Kate opens the door soon.

"Whose your friend?" I can see Rosalie's jaw clench. "I'd _love_ me a piece of that. She's a tiny little thing too. Mm! Think she can handle it fellas?" His taunting is followed by laughter and a chorus of 'Ooh' from his friends and I roll my eyes at their childishness. As soon as the words leave his mouth Rosalie's head snaps in his direction and I squeeze her hand tightly in warning.

"You're pathetic and so are all your little friends. I have friends in the DA's office who I'm sure would love to hear about your sexual harassment and-" She leans to the side a little and points to the drugs that are sitting on the plastic table in the corner of the porch. "you're obvious drug use. I'm pretty sure all of you are on parole, no?" Silence. "I thought so. So, how about you shut the hell up and tread carefully."

Before they can respond the door opens and a pretty blonde lady dressed in scrubs appears in the doorway carrying a pink duffel bag. She looks pissed and her face immediately breaks out into a smile when she notices Rosalie.

"Oh, Rose! Thank you so much for doing this. You're literally a lifesaver." She says as she pulls her into a hug which Rose warmly returns.

"Kate, this is Bella. Bell this is a really good friend of mine, Kate." Rosalie introduces us and I shake the hand Kate has outstretched to me.

"Kate!" I hear a deep voice yell from inside and I flinch and step closer to Rosalie, who grabs my hand when she notices my startled response. I see Kate's face tense and before she can reply Lily comes rushing out the door and throws herself onto Rosalie's legs, squealing with excitement. Her blonde hair is in a cute high ponytail and she's clad in Dora pajama pants and a purple Northface.

"Aunty Rose!" She squeals and I look on with a smile as Rosalie picks her up and places loud, exaggerated kisses all over her face.

"I missed you so much, Toots." Rosalie says lovingly and I almost coo at their interaction because it's literally so damn cute how good Rosalie is with Lily. Lily suddenly turns her head to me and waves enthusiastically.

"Hi, Bella! I missed you too!" She cries and I'm shocked that she remembers me but I wave back just as enthusiastically none-the-less.

"Missed you too cutie." I say softly to her and she blushes, burying her face in Rosalie's neck.

A tall, handsome blonde man then appears at the door behind Kate and my brow furrows at his blood shot eyes.

"Where's Lily going?" He asks Kate, not bothering to acknowledge Rosalie and I. Kate's expression turns to an annoyed one and she rolls her eyes.

"I'm going to work so she's staying over at Rosalie's. I literally just told you that." She says as she hands Rosalie Lily's bag. "I also told you to get your loser friends off of the front porch before Lily had to come out here, but they're still here. Surprise surprise."

"She could've stayed with me, Kate. Right, munchkin?" He says to Lily, who just stares at him blankly, an obvious no on her part. It's then that I notice what's off about him. He's high. My eyebrows raise and I turn to look at Rosalie to see if she's noticed and it's obvious she has because she's looking at him with obvious disdain.

"Rosalie, I'll get her booster seat out of my car, just give me a second." Kate says, ignoring Mike completely and walking towards her car, a shiny, black BMW. That leaves Mike, Rosalie, Lily and I standing in a tense, awkward silence.

"Bye, Lily." Mike waves at Lily with a sly smile as he leans against the door frame and it makes my stomach churn. I turn to Rosalie quickly.

"I'm going to get in the car." I say with a small smile directed at her and Lily before turning on my heel and heading towards the car. Once I'm in the car I watch from a distance as Rosalie and Mike exchange words. I can't tell if they're friendly or not because Rosalie's back is to me and Mike has had that same asshole expression on his face since stepped out of the house. My phone begins to ring in my back pocket and I pull it out, answering when I see Courtney's name on the caller I.D..

"Hey. What's up?" I answer as I place the phone to my ear.

"Hey, hon. Do you know when you'll be home?" I glance at the clock and see that it's only 4:30 pm and bite my lip in thought. Before I can answer the back seat passenger door opens and Rosalie places Lily's booster seat inside, Lily following seconds later.

"Umm... probably around like 8 or 9a. I'm gonna hang with Rosalie and her niece for a little longer. Is that alright?" I ask as Rosalie hops back into the car and starts it, pulling off as soon as she gets her seat belt on.

"Yeah, that's fine. Come and find me when you get home though, please. I need to speak with you." She says and I hear an office phone ringing in the background, signaling that she's still at work.

"About?"

"Important things." Is all she says and I frown at her vagueness.

"Okay. Talk to you later."

"Bye, hon."

I hang up the phone and decide to check my messages. Surprisingly I have two new messages from Jasper. I furrow my brow in confusion and open them.

_Hey, Bella. Just wanted to see if you were alright. _

_Where've you been?_

I smile softly at his concern and quickly text him back saying that I'm fine and I'll be at school tomorrow. I sigh and lean back in my seat and tune in to whatever it is Lily is saying.

"-and _then_ Jake said that girls had cooties and not boys and I told him that I _did_ _not_ have cooties and that he did. Then he pulled my pigtails and said that I was dumb cause my hair is blonde and blondes are dumb and now he calls me Blondie." She finishes grumpily and I laugh and almost coo at how adorable she sounds.

"Oh my goodness." Rosalie says in response to Lily's story. "Well I for one think you're very smart and so am I. I'm blonde aren't I?"

"Yeah and I think you're so, so, sooo smart. Cause you're a teacher, right Aunt Rose?" Lily responds dramatically.

"Exactly." Rosalie replies with an air of finality. I laugh quietly at the both of them and listen to them speak for the rest of the ride back.

Somehow we let Lily rope us into watching _The Aristocats_ and that's exactly where we are now. On the couch in Rosalie's living room with me snuggled into one side of Rose and the arm of the couch, Lily on the other side and Riley on the floor in front of us.

"Aunty Rose?" Lily asks quietly after a little while.

"Hmm?"

"Do you do drugs?" I let out a laugh at that and Rosalie glares at me briefly.

"Absolutely not!" Rosalie exclaims quietly while turning her attention from the movie and placing it on a curious Lily. "Where did you hear that?"

"Well Mike said that he's an adult so he can do drugs if he wants to. You're an adult right? Do you do drugs? I don't want you to do drugs because Mike do's drugs and he's mean and he yells and he throws stuff, but never gets a time-out. You're not gonna yell and be mean too are you?" She asks innocently and I feel my stomach literally drop to the point where I feel like it's going to fall out of my ass.

"No, of course not, Toots. He yells at who, Lily? You?" I hear Rosalie ask, her voice full of concern.

"No. Mommy." She says quietly with a little pout.

"When, sweetheart?" Rosalie ask gently. I place my head in my hands and close my eye because she's just a kid and she shouldn't have to witness that. I shouldn't have had to witness that.

"Lots." She says simply and then turns her attention back to the movie. I feel Rosalie's hand rub my back like she knows exactly where my mind went.

"Well I'll make sure it stops, okay?" Rosalie says to her gently.

"Okay."

A few hours and another movie later, Lily is knocked out on the couch and my head is resting on Rosalie's shoulder while she draws lazy patterns on my thigh. I sit up and stretch and a huge yawn escapes my lips.

"I gotta go, babe." I say to her as I head into her room and gather my stuff.

"Will I see you in class tomorrow?" She asks from her place in the doorway. She's watching me walk around the room and into the bathroom, gathering my stuff. Once I'm finally finished I sit on the edge of the bed and put my TOMS and leather jacket back on.

"Walk me to the door?" I ask her and she nods before leading me through the apartment and to the front door. Once we reach the door I step forward and wrap my arms around her waist and she wraps hers around my neck.

"I'm gonna miss you." I say with a pout that she kisses away quickly.

"I'll see you tomorrow." She says with a giggle and I shrug and look up at her cutely with a pout.

"Hours!" I exclaim dramatically to which she laughs. "That means I'll need a really great kiss to hold me over until tomorrow."

She simply laughs and leans down to press her lips firmly against mine and I sigh quietly into the kiss and deepen it. I nip her bottom lip and she lets out a moan that makes me smirk and repeat the action, hoping for another one and she doesn't disappoint. My hands are about to slide down and grab her round ass when we both hear giggling.

"Aunty Rose, is Bella rocking your world?" Lily giggles.

Review.

So guys I'm so fucking sorry for the long wait. I've been preoccupied with dance and school work and... yeah. I had writers block too. I've been trying to write this for a week and I think I finally got it. Maybe. I never really know. I just go with it. Oh! Lily is not going to be abused! I would never! That was just my way of introducing more characters into the story because as much as I love Rose and Bella they can't be the only characters. Oh and hint hint expect to see more of Jasper and his friends. Thanks for reading!


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